The matriarch and anchor for the women of Brewster Place is Mattie Michael. Her unselfish devotion to a ne’er-do-well son forces her to abandon her home, and try to make a new life in Brewster Place‘s dark and overcrowded tenements

Kiswana organizes a tenant’s union to improve the lives of the dispirited Brewster Place residents

Etta Mae, Mattie’s old friend, befriends the visiting reverend, much to the dismay of Mattie. Mattie is the only one who can help Ciel recover after
she is shaken by the ultimate heartbreak.

In the final chapter, an anguished but determined Mattie is joined by all the women of Brewster Place in a singular act of civil disobedience