This is an invited article on how my career as an epidemiologist studying depression unfolded. The role of the Civil Rights movement in opening the PhD doors to women at Yale began my career. The unfolding of depression studies are described. These studies included a clinical trial of medication and what later was known as interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), the first community survey of psychiatric disorder, family genetic and brain imaging studies or depression and anxiety disorders. I hope the new generation will have the wonderful opportunities I have had.