This essay presents an aspect of literary history that heretofore has not been discussed. It illustrates how the personal interaction and activities of these women writers prior to the Black Arts Movement (1965- 1977) had direct bearing on the success of that cultural revolution. It also contextualizes this era relative to its historical circumstances and the interconnectedness of cultural periods that preceded it. This discussion considers the especial aesthetics and politics of each writer as well as their relationships to each other and other major literary figures of the time.