Over the last century, the social and economic roles played by African women have
evolved dramatically. Long confined to home and field, overlooked by their menfolk
and missionaries alike, African women worked, thought, dreamed, and struggled.
They migrated to the cities, invented new jobs, and activated the so-called informal
economy to become Africa's economic and social focal point. As a result, despite
their lack of education and relatively low status, women are now Africa's best hope
for the future.

This sweeping and innovative book is the first to reconstruct the full history of
women in sub-Saharan Africa. Tracing the lot of African women from the eve of the
colonial period to the present, Catherine Coquery-Vidrovitch explores the stages and
forms of women's collective roles as well as their individual emancipation through
revolts, urban migrations, economic impacts, social claims, political strength, and
creativity. Comparing case studies drawn from throughout the region, she sheds light
on issues ranging from gender to economy, politics, society, and culture. Utilizing an
impressive array of sources, she highlights broad general patterns without overlook-
ing crucial local variations. With its breadth of coverage and clear analysis of complex
questions, this book is destined to become a standard text for scholars and students
alike.

Catherine Coquery-Vidrovitch is professor of contemporary history and head of
the Graduate Studies Program on the Third World and Africa at the University of
Paris-7 Denis Diderot. A renowned historian of sub-Saharan Africa, she has taught at
most of the French-speaking African universities and has held visiting positions at
Princeton and Binghamton University. Among her many publications, Afrique noire:
Permanences et Ruptures (also published in English as Africa: Endurance and
Changes South of the Sahara) was awarded the Aumale prize of the Academie des
Sciences Morales et Politiques.

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