This collection of essays by eight scholars of southern women's history traces the evolution of southern women's lives during the twentieth century. Throughout this era, southern life, and in particular the opportunities for southern women, changed dramatically as southern women have taken leadership roles in business, government, education, and social programs. The essayists employ a variety of approaches, ranging from case studies to historical overviews, but they all carefully place the developments in southern women's lives in a national context. Most important, each author seeks to understand the nature of change in these women's lives over the last century and to forecast the course of their lives in the future.             The first effort to synthesize research on southern women during this period, this collection will be useful to both scholars and students of southern history. Students will be provided with an introduction to women's involvement in many areas of southern society, while scholars will appreciate the essays as a guide to new directions for research.