Work, sister, work
Subtitle: why Black women can't get ahead and what they can do about it
By: Cydney Shields and Leslie C. Shields ; foreword by Eleanor Holmes Norton.
Contributors: Shields, Leslie C.
Publisher: Carol Pub. Group
Published: 1993
Place of publication: Secaucus, N.J
Language: eng
Number of pages: 287
Subjects: Vocational guidance for women -- United States.; African American women -- Employment.
Description: Over the last forty years, black women have come into their own, but they still have far to go. In 1940, most black women who worked outside the home were domestics. Today millions of dedicated black women have joined the work force. Yet fewer than 3 percent have risen into the corporate ranks. Why so few? By the year 2000, 8.5 million black women will be working outside the home. What can they expect? In Work, Sister, Work, Cydney and Leslie Shields go deep into the problems black women confront in the workplace in order to answer these questions. For them there is not just the glass ceiling of corporate politics and sexism, the old boys' club and the dual demands of home and office - experienced by all women who seek to advance - the ceiling black women run into is concrete. They must bear the double burden of their sex compounded with their race. And there is more, according to the authors.

Black women have been unable to develop an adequate sense of their own worth and power to accomplish their ends. Until the black woman comes to terms with these problems, as well as with problems of her own making, she will never get ahead. Work, Sister, Work is directed to the black woman who wants to take control of her life and achieve career satisfaction. The authors are writing from years of research and experience gained from conducting their workshop "Black Women Can Win," as well as their conversations with more than four thousand black women from all walks of life. As a result, the authors not only shed light on the significant problems of the black woman but also offer solutions. Work, Sister, Work helps the reader identify her skills and strengths and discover her weaker points. Checklists, charts, and self-quizzes point the way to improvement.

And helpful hints, tips, and survival techniques show the black working woman how to get from where she is to where she wants to go. More than a how-to guide, it is intimate and inspirational. Seasoned black working women from around the country share their perspectives and advice on attaining career goals, among them Xernona Clayton, assistant vice president at CNN; Elynor Williams, vice president at Sara Lee Corporation; and Clara Adams-Ender, one of two black female brigadier generals in the U.S. Army. The authors' message is clear. As a black woman you have to be strong, but you also have to take a hard, long look at your life in order to meet the challenge ahead. Work, Sister, Work will prepare you for that challenge.
Notes: "A Birch Lane Press book."
Includes index.