Review: Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All, by Martha S. Jones Available to Purchase

In Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All, Martha S. Jones calls on the stories of Black women from the mid-1800s through the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to demonstrate how Black women overcame racism and sexism to advocate for the humanity and equality of everyone. Each chapter proceeds chronologically with vivid narrations that challenge common understandings of the most influential moments in US history. The stories illustrate how Black women not only led but transformed movements that often overlooked and attempted to stifle their contributions. Jones is a historian, but her work transcends disciplinary boundaries. Vanguard contributes to many fields, including Black politics, African American studies, and political science. The book exemplifies the materialization of intersectionality theories in the lives of Black women throughout US history. It also illustrates the role intersectionality plays in marginalizing Black women...