Mary Church Terrell was a member of the elite in Washington D.C. She attended parties, balls, and other events. She dined with wealthy, influential people, both African American and White. She was well educated, with a love for learning. She was eloquent. She was beautiful. She was courageous. She was involved in several Civil Rights organizations, as well as organizations that supported both African American and White women's interests. She criticized the President for his inaction in some instances and his poor actions in others. She wrote many articles thoroughly condemning Jim Crow laws and other injustices against African American people. Her experiences outlined in this book were inspiring and so important to the historical record.

This book was required reading for a class I am taking, but I am glad that I got to read it. I had never heard about this woman before. I also know very little about African American history, which is the point of taking this class. This was a good read.