Double Victory

December 1, 2012
The role of African-American women in World War II, both at home and abroad, has not been explored as fully as other aspects of that war, and Mullenbach here addresses this deficit. The women who tried to participate struggled against multiple obstacles: prejudice against women, segregated institutions and deep-seated discrimination against blacks in the United States. Despite these realities, many African-American women were determined to have a role in the war effort and to use their struggles to push the country toward greater inclusion for all. This exploration makes clear how hard they fought on their own behalf and how resistant U.S. society was to change, even in wartime and even as its leaders sought to galvanize the country around "four essential human freedoms." Mullenbach effectively weaves this narrative by presenting a wide variety of individual stories of struggle, some victorious, others discouraging, many accompanied by period photographs. Whether she is describing a boycott of segregated Independence Day celebrations at an overseas Red Cross club or the indignities of Jim Crow travel for uniformed women, their dogged determination to fully engage is revealed. One of the many strengths of the book is the range of areas affected, including journalism, manufacturing, troop support, military nursing and many others. Ultimately, their unstinting efforts during World War II helped pave the way for the civil rights movement and major societal change. A valuable asset. (notes, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction 14 & up)

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January 1, 2013

Gr 7 Up-This scholarly volume gives a comprehensive view of the efforts of African American women who integrated the workforce in both civilian and military positions during World War II. Providing personal accounts of women who worked on highways, as war correspondents, and as entertainers and political activists, five chapters, illustrated with black-and-white photographs and reproductions, look at advances in each of these areas. Though the personal stories help, the text is dense and detailed. Thus, it is a bit dry, making it most useful for research or as a report resource. That aside, this is an excellent title for expanding students' view of the Civil Rights Movement, showing just how many people it took to achieve even the legislative ends realized under President Lyndon Johnson. Additionally, by focusing on women, it gives background on an aspect of the Women's Movement that is often overlooked and on the course of the broader Civil Rights Movement.-Ann Welton, Grant Elementary School, Tacoma, WA

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