Black women have been described as being in "double jeopardy" due to the combined effects of racism and sexism. To explore the multiple effects of institutional discrimination and prejudice based on race and/or sex, the experiences of 52 highly successful older black women were examined, using tapes from the Black Women Oral History Project of Radcliffe College. Two situational variables were used: the predominant racial composition of the workplace where the respondent spent the major portion of her career; and life events, which were coded for coping style. Analyses of results showed that those whose life problems included racial and sexual discrimination, compared to those without discrimination, were more likely to use directly instrumental coping styles and to use more than one strategy in coping. Those who perceived control of the outcome as personal, and those who described the source of the problem as stemming from other people, were likely to use direct instrumentality in coping, and tended to have greater flexibility in coping styles. An analysis focusing specifically on the effects of situational and personal variables on coping strategies, within incidents of prejudice or discrimination, showed situational and personal factors were more significant predictors of coping. The findings suggest that an assessment of effective coping with discrimination must include examination of both situational and personal factors. (JAC)