Beverly A. Bunch-Lyonsis an Assistant Professor of History at Virginia Tech.

"Contested Terrain is a richly textured and illuminating study of Black migration through the lens of race, class, and gender. Bunch-Lyons' admirably reveals the interplay between social conditions and interior desire that propelled so many African American women's migration to Cincinnati. This is an important contribution to the burgeoning scholarship in migration studies." -- Darlene Clark Hine, Michigan State University"Contested Terrain is a much-needed and profoundly enriching addendum to current research on African American migration. Here, indeed, are stories that illumine with astonishing cando important human issues that generations of scholars have typically neglected, misunderstood, or simply overlooked. Quickly, this book will become indispensable history." -- David C. Dennard, Institute for Historical and Cultural Research"In a slowly growing area-the study of black women migrants to American cities, Beverly Bunch-Lyons' Contested Terrain is extremely timely. Bunch-Lyons' splendid work adds richly to an area of study that still has less than six titles." -- Linda Reed, University ofHouston

• Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Quitting the South: Profiles of Those Who Left 2. Mean Man Blues: Violence as Impetus for Migration 3. The Work We've Done: African American Women's Employment Activities 4. They Say the Schools Are Better Up There: A Decent Education for My Children 5. The Sacred and the Secular: Religious and Social Activities of Migrant Women 6. Cincinnati Was No Promised Land: Life in the Queen City Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index