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Reviewed by Alice DiNizo for Readers' Favorite
"Many Blessings: A Tapestry of Accomplished African American Women" is a highly well-written collective biography that should be in public and school or college libraries everywhere. The author, who is not African-American, felt driven to interview and then write the stories of the many women whose lives are covered in this book of biographies. Author Sonnee Weedn's family always hated segregation and fought it, even starting Girl Scout Troops on their own when young black girls were excluded from regular Girl Scouting. Weedn quotes the Navajo saying that it is time to repair the Sacred Hopp and have all men live in peace and understanding. She divides her book into sections that cover African American women survivors, inspirers, nurturers, crusaders, those who are creative and academic, and those who are beautiful. Weedn writes of Victoria Rowell the ballerina, Publisher Vicky Stringer who established the Valen Foundation to reunite and restore the bonds between children and their incarcerated parents, and Linda Pondexter-Chesterfield who rose to greatness even though her high school principal neglected to tell her that seventy-five colleges around the country had offered her scholarships. And these are just three of the many women written about in "Many Blessings".
"Many Blessings: A Tapestry of Accomplished African American Women" is a brilliantly written book that has a picture of each of the women at the beginning of the chapter which tells of her always incredible life. Some of the women covered are well-known like Jasmine Guy. Most are not, but their stories of dealing with the double prejudice of being both black and a woman, often poor and mistreated, are totally absorbing and very readable. As one of the women, Aurelia Harris, said, "You have to be strong in life. Know your strength and your weaknesses"(p.231). The author admits making mistakes and trying to be culturally sensitive as she interviewed the women. "Many Blessings" should be read by everyone everywhere.
