When the middle class black women of Judith Weisenfeld's history organized a black chapter of the Young Women's Christian Association in 1905, it was a clear step toward establishing a suitable environment for young working women. Weisenfeld's account gives a vibrant picture of African American women as significant actors in the life of New York. It also bears telling witness to the religious, class, gender, and racial negotiations so often involved in American social reform movements.
