Black Professional Women, 1969

The purpose of this study was to explore the special conditions which enable African American professional women to create a self-image and achievement value system, the problems attendant to traditional female roles, and the reinforcing components of the work situation. The study was also conducted in order to test the findings of a similar study the researcher did with White women lawyers, also archived at the Murray Center (see Related Datasets below).
In 1969, the researcher interviewed 35 African American women in the following professions: law, medicine, dentistry, university teaching, journalism, business, and social service administration. Nursing, social work, and teaching at other than the university level were excluded.
A structured, open-ended interview was employed. The questions included nature of work, clients, disadvantages of being a woman, disadvantages of being African American, relationships at work, professional associations, community organizations, education, demographics, family life, income, and dual-career conflict.
The Murray Archive holds additional analogue materials for this study: original record paper data for 35 women, including interviews and other descriptive materials. The Murray Archive also holds audiotaped interviews. If you would like to access these materials, please apply to use the data.
Audio Data Availability Note: This study contains audio data that have been digitized. There are 33 audio files available.