Experiences of black women, who migrated from the rural south to the District of Columbia between 1900 and 1926, are examined in order to illustrate the nature of household work during this period. While previous research on black private household workers usually attributed changes in household labor to architectural and technological trends, this data indicated that the transition from live-in servant to day worker occurred as a result of the women's desire for less restrictive employment. Oral histories of 23 black women, who made this transition, challenge the belief that household workers lacked the initiative and ability to control employment conditions. Southern relatives' roles, the Washington community, churches, and pre-migration experiences are examined, along with the consequences of the transition in relation to the women's self-esteem. Results indicate that the family, with its inherent roles and values, remained crucial to these women despite differences between their rural upbringing and urban employment. (Author/JHP)