Introduction: This is Ella Jenkins -- Part I. Clave. Bronzeville : 1924-1938 ; Rebel days : 1938-1948 ; West Coast : 1948-1952 ; Four years at the YWCA : 1952-1956 -- Part II. Rhythm specialist. Gate of horn, gate of ivory : 1956-1957 ; Call and response : 1956-1958 ; Adventures in rhythm : 1958-1961 ; Chicago folks : 1961-1962 -- Part III. Children's artist. On the road : 1962-1964 ; You'll sing a song : 1964-1968 ; A long time to freedom : 1968-1979 ; Looking back and looking forward : 1979-1999 -- Epilogue: First lady : 2000-2024 -- Appendix A: Interviews -- Appendix B: Bibliographic essay -- Appendix C: Discography

"Ella Jenkins was a pioneer in American children's music and an early practitioner of what became known as multiculturalism. Here, Gayle Wald, with unparalleled access to Jenkins's papers, documents not just Jenkins's life but the influence of her music among musicians and also educational institutions, including Chicago's South Parkway YMCA, where Jenkins taught music and dance. She became a fixture and touchstone of the folk music scene, putting out dozens of albums and performing worldwide. Her story illuminates the cultural history of Chicago and of postwar America, tying together musical history, gay and lesbian studies, racial and musical lineages, and more"--