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A Shining Thread of Hope: The History of Black Women in America
At the greatest moments and in the cruelest times, black women have been a crucial part of America's history. Now, the inspiring history of black women in America is explored in vivid detail by two leaders in the fields of African American and women's history.
A Shining Thread of Hope chronicles the lives of black women from indentured servitude in the early American colonies to the cruelty of antebellum plantations, from the reign of lynch law in the Jim Crow South to the triumphs of the Civil Rights era, and it illustrates how the story of black women in America is as much a tale of courage and hope as it is a history of struggle. On both an individual and a collective level, A Shining Thread of Hope reveals the strength and spirit of black women and brings their stories from the fringes of American history to a central position in our understanding of the forces and events that have shaped this country.
A Shining Thread of Hope chronicles the lives of black women from indentured servitude in the early American colonies to the cruelty of antebellum plantations, from the reign of lynch law in the Jim Crow South to the triumphs of the Civil Rights era, and it illustrates how the story of black women in America is as much a tale of courage and hope as it is a history of struggle. On both an individual and a collective level, A Shining Thread of Hope reveals the strength and spirit of black women and brings their stories from the fringes of American history to a central position in our understanding of the forces and events that have shaped this country.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 20, 2008
Excellent and worth it. I read this for my African American Women's History class. I just finished up the last few chapters, which we hadn't gotten to in class.
Hine and Thompson are critical and self-conscious of their roles as historians of African American women in a field (and country) that has deliberately neglected, exploited, and erased this story. Every chapter demonstrates the need for this book, the specific history of Black women in America as shaped by intersecting oppressions (racism, sexism, classism, etc.) and a shared (though diverse) cultural background. You won't find this history in an average US history textbook, or even in Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States 1492 to Present. The more I read this book the more I feel that African American women's history is the sharpest lens through which to understand how today came to be. For example, A Shining Thread of Hope exposes the multidimensional, psychological and physical depth of enslavement and how it still resonates in US culture and policy. The book also highlights hundreds of years of effective, democratic resistance based on community support and organizing. As the authors wryly state: "Black women ... have developed values over almost four centuries that actually seem to work."
Hine is responsible for bringing to light the impact of sexualized violence on the history of African American women, especially under enslavement and as an oft-ignored cause of the Great Migration. Her work is worth reading for this analysis alone.
The writing in A Shining Thread of Hope remains flowing and enjoyable-- and hopeful, like its title suggests, despite the injustices and horror they document. The topics covered are diverse, from art to politics to grassroots activism. One of the most interesting quirks about this book is the way the authors will often list names of influential African American women. This would usually be a boring faux pas in a history book, but Hine and Thompson manage instead to make each name ring out. The names and accomplishments of these great women are unfamiliar to the general US audience. Stating these women's names pays them respect while quietly taking to task our ignorance.
Hine and Thompson are critical and self-conscious of their roles as historians of African American women in a field (and country) that has deliberately neglected, exploited, and erased this story. Every chapter demonstrates the need for this book, the specific history of Black women in America as shaped by intersecting oppressions (racism, sexism, classism, etc.) and a shared (though diverse) cultural background. You won't find this history in an average US history textbook, or even in Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States 1492 to Present. The more I read this book the more I feel that African American women's history is the sharpest lens through which to understand how today came to be. For example, A Shining Thread of Hope exposes the multidimensional, psychological and physical depth of enslavement and how it still resonates in US culture and policy. The book also highlights hundreds of years of effective, democratic resistance based on community support and organizing. As the authors wryly state: "Black women ... have developed values over almost four centuries that actually seem to work."
Hine is responsible for bringing to light the impact of sexualized violence on the history of African American women, especially under enslavement and as an oft-ignored cause of the Great Migration. Her work is worth reading for this analysis alone.
The writing in A Shining Thread of Hope remains flowing and enjoyable-- and hopeful, like its title suggests, despite the injustices and horror they document. The topics covered are diverse, from art to politics to grassroots activism. One of the most interesting quirks about this book is the way the authors will often list names of influential African American women. This would usually be a boring faux pas in a history book, but Hine and Thompson manage instead to make each name ring out. The names and accomplishments of these great women are unfamiliar to the general US audience. Stating these women's names pays them respect while quietly taking to task our ignorance.
August 20, 2025
Almost too much to even say succinctly but I'll try. As a believer in Great Man Theory (applied in this context perhaps more broadly than other proponents would appreciate), I loved all the mini biographies of successful and influential black women. As a person in touch with reality, some of the general claims throughout the book were dubious at best. American slavery was way worse than any other slavery in history (not to mention modernity)? White people/racism are responsible for all the ills of the black community? Black women are laudable strictly for their race and gender? Spare me.
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September 22, 2022I'm reading this for my Extended Essay at school, but I am also genuinely enjoying it as leisure reading.
June 7, 2019
A Shining Thread of Hope should be required reading for all people because
-History is often presented from a wealthy white male perspective. This book is not about them...at all. Women are often depicted as being support figures in relation to men wielding power and influence. While this is true to some degree, it is not the one and only story.
-Black women are shown as magnificent, intelligent, capable authoritative figures in any discipline of their choosing. Politics, armed forces, education, religion, the arts, and community leadership are all represented well. Black women are not a monolithic stereotype that can be categorized as Mammy, Jezebel, or Sapphire. We are women who love, women who are courageous, women who are ambitious, in one word we are human.
The writing style of this book is accessible. Though it took me longer than I would have liked to complete reading, it was not a chore at all. I admire the transitions between the subjects and chapters, it reminded me of a song that's a perfect composition: the right melody, pitch, and timing set to music that doesn't steal attention from the lyrics.
It's not explicitly stated, but I think this book is a good place to begin if one is interested in womanist theory and/or gain understanding of intersectionality.
Key quote-something that is SO relevant today
"Survival itself was a form of resistance. And resistance was crucial to the survival of the spirit" (91).
-History is often presented from a wealthy white male perspective. This book is not about them...at all. Women are often depicted as being support figures in relation to men wielding power and influence. While this is true to some degree, it is not the one and only story.
-Black women are shown as magnificent, intelligent, capable authoritative figures in any discipline of their choosing. Politics, armed forces, education, religion, the arts, and community leadership are all represented well. Black women are not a monolithic stereotype that can be categorized as Mammy, Jezebel, or Sapphire. We are women who love, women who are courageous, women who are ambitious, in one word we are human.
The writing style of this book is accessible. Though it took me longer than I would have liked to complete reading, it was not a chore at all. I admire the transitions between the subjects and chapters, it reminded me of a song that's a perfect composition: the right melody, pitch, and timing set to music that doesn't steal attention from the lyrics.
It's not explicitly stated, but I think this book is a good place to begin if one is interested in womanist theory and/or gain understanding of intersectionality.
Key quote-something that is SO relevant today
"Survival itself was a form of resistance. And resistance was crucial to the survival of the spirit" (91).
May 21, 2019
This book s/b read by every Black woman in America, and then by everyone who sincerely wants to know the real history of Black women in America - our accomplishments, our trials, and most of all, the TRUTH of what we've really done and why we did it. To say that America was built on our backs is an understatement, and A SHINING THREAD OF HOPE shows you why. Business owners in 1736, cornering the catering market, killing a child rather than allow them to live as a slave - we built it. Take the time to read this book, you'll see why we're like we are now, and you'll also see why society has been so hell-bent on distorting our true story. Thank you, Dr. Hine!
June 11, 2018
This is one of the most personally impactful historical texts I have ever read. I was assigned this text as part of an African American Women's History course in 2009 and I cannot tell you how often I still recommend this book or insert information I learned from this text in conversation. I appreciate the way in which every chapter begins with a vignette written about a fictional Black women who may have existed in the time the chapter covers; this choice draws the reader in to each chapter, creating suspense and interest with every page.
October 7, 2016
This book was the shining thread of hope I needed this summer in our increasingly grim political scene. To remember and learn over and over of the resilience of my people who have devised ways to survive and triumph throughout every period of our history, that was what I needed. These writers are excellent. They pack so much into this text and cover all the way from the 1600s to the late 1900s. The writing is fluid and clear. It is out of print but worth getting a used copy.
July 3, 2014
Hines provides a voice to those who have not been given a spotlight in which to share their contributions. Well worth the time needed to digest the book, I highly recommend this to people who appreciate nonfiction and our nation's stories.
April 8, 2016
This. Is. A. Inspiring. Book. Thanks. Jim. Crow. Shining. Threads. Of. Hope
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews