This autobiography investigates the personal and spiritual trajectory of Amanda Berry Smith as she navigated the restrictive religious hierarchies of the nineteenth century to become a globally recognized evangelist. Smith, a formerly enslaved woman who rose to prominence within the African Methodist Episcopal Church, utilizes her personal narrative to document the systemic barriers faced by black women in the ministry. By detailing her conversion, travels, and eventual international influence, she provides a framework for understanding the intersection of race, gender, and religious authority during the post-Civil War era.

Historians and religious scholars identify this text as a foundational primary source for understanding the role of black women in nineteenth-century ecclesiastical history. Readers frequently note the density of the prose and the significant cultural insight provided regarding the development of the AME church.