Labor of Love, Labor of Sorrow traces the history of Black women’s work and family life from slavery to the late 20th century. Jacqueline Jones explores how African American women have balanced wage labor and domestic responsibilities in the face of racism, sexism, and economic exploitation. The book emphasizes the dual burden of paid labor (“labor of sorrow”) and unpaid care work (“labor of love”). It reveals how Black women have built resilience and sustained communities despite systemic oppression. Drawing from archival records and oral histories, Jones reconstructs the lives of women often excluded from traditional labor and women’s history. The book redefines labor history through the lens of race, gender, and class.