Women in Minority Communities in West Texas: Negotiating Work and Family

This paper is based on the collection of oral histories and qualitative research that has been conducted in the Permian Basin, Texas, among the members of the African-American Community.   The individuals interviewed provided a magnificent collection of personal narratives that illustrates the disparities in the distribution of economic and political resources in the area.  The analysis of these narratives enables us to clearly see the rich, dynamic and diverse historical trends of community development and empowerment these individuals have experienced.   The focus of this presentation will be in examining how women negotiated work and family, and the many lessons, historical, social and political we can draw from their experiences.