Winner of the Richard L. Wentworth Prize in American History, 1999."Kimberley Phillips's fine study . . . will be of real value to scholars of African American, labor, women's, and working class history."--Joe William Trotter, author of Black Milwaukee: The Making of and Industrial Proletariat, 1915-45 "Phillips weaves the multiple voices of her subjects into the broader tapestry of the African American experience, vividly conveying the textures of working-class life and applying considerable attention to black agency and resistance. Her incorporation of black women's experiences in the labor market, church, and community makes this a model study of black urban and working class history."--Eric Arnesen, author of Waterfront Workers of New Orleans: Race, Class, and Politics