[2][3] Meriwether graduated from Central Commercial High School in Manhattan and then, while working as a secretary, studied at night for a B.A.

[7] In the words of Paule Marshall: "The novel's greatest achievement lies in the sense of black life that it conveys: vitality and force behind the despair.

[9] Becoming part of a group of young New York-based writer friends that included Rosa Guy and Maya Angelou, Meriwether later recalled: "We partied.

"[10][11] Meriwether began writing biographies for children about historically important African Americans — including Robert Smalls, Daniel Hale Williams, and Rosa Parks — and later explained: "After publication of my first novel ...

She wrote the Introduction to The Givens Collection edition of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs.

In her own words, when she was a named as a recipient of the Clara Lemlich Award for Social Activism in 2011: I am a writer, and also a dedicated activist and peacenik.

In New York City in my twenties I was chapter chairman of my union, marching in May Day Parades and having rotten eggs thrown at my head.

In Bogalusa, Louisiana, I worked with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE);[2] back in New York I was instrumental in keeping Muhammad Ali, then world's heavyweight champion, from fighting in South Africa and breaking a cultural boycott.

Back in New York I was active in several forums breaking the silence about the rampant rape in the Congo and the multinational corporations and countries involved.