Book DescriptionWomen have been active in American business since the eighteenth century, and while they have made enormous contributions, they have also had to overcome tremendous obstacles. This encyclopedia chronicles the accomplishments of women in American business since the colonial era and discusses the historical events and issues that have concerned them. Included are more than 300 alphabetically arranged entries on American businesswomen and roughly 100 interspersed entries on topics central totheir lives and careers. Among the business leaders discussed are Ann Franklin, a colonial printer; Sarah Walker, the first African-American millionairess; Rebecca Lukens, the first American woman manufacturer; and Carly Fiorina, the most powerful businesswoman in the United States today.