Photographer Michael Cunningham (coauthor of Crowns)
and author Connie Briscoe, a New York Times bestselling
novelist, profile 50 women over the age of 50 who have been
remarkably successful--whether in reaching the top of the
corporate ladder, finding fame in politics or the arts, or
raising a son to be proud of a single mother--and reveal
the ways that they have prevailed despite daunting obstacles.
Their stories are paired with Cunningham's intimate
portraits of the women.
JEWELS includes well-known and little-known women
alike, from teachers and executives to artists, authors, and
entertainers. Among the celebrities profiled in the book are
Ruby Dee, Eleanor Holmes Norton, S. Epatha Merkerson,
and Marion Wright Edelman. Coauthor Connie Briscoe also
appears here as one of the featured Jewels, telling her
inspiring personal story. World-renowned poet, writer,
commentator, activist, and educator Nikki Giovanni
contributes an original poem to the book.