The role of women in many African societies has been formed and contained by age-old traditions that have relegated their place to the home. Where they are compelled to play second fiddle, women rarely discover their authentic identity. This paper presents the roles of women in place making in Africa. It discusses non-formal and formal education of African women and the artistic forms--expressions, symbols, and elements--that African women use to shape the environment. It discusses the evolution of the roles of African women, focusing on the effects of Ali Mazuri's triple heritage, which presents African history as composed of three principal influences: traditional, Islamic, and western. The paper concludes that today, post-colonial African women are struggling to become forces to reckon with as in pre-colonial times, and that African nations need to return to the traditional concepts of empowerment and integration of the female population. Contains a 17-item bibliography. (BT)