The Place: Chicago
For thirteen-year-old Sam it’s not easy being the son of known civil rights activist Roland Childs. Especially when his older (and best friend), Stick, begins to drift away from him for no apparent reason. And then it happens: Sam finds something that changes everything forever.
Sam has always had faith in his father, but when he finds literature about the Black Panthers under Stick’s bed, he’s not sure who to believe: his father or his best friend. Suddenly, nothing feels certain anymore.
Sam wants to believe that his father is right: You can effect chnage without using violence. But as time goes on, Sam grows weary of standing by and watching as his friends and family suffer at the hands of racism in their own community. Sam beings to explore the Panthers with Stick, but soon he’s involved in something far more serious — and more dangerous — than he could have ever predicted. Sam is faced with a difficult decision. Will he follow his father or his brother? His mind or his heart? The rock or the river?
Diane McWhorter’s, “A Dream of Freedom”, is a treasure trove of information regarding the American Civil Rights Movement. This book is packed full of history, stories from the Civil Rights era, photos of events and activists, and quotes from the movement’s most significant players. The book is organized chronologically, each chapter focusing on a different year from 1954 to 1968. Within each section, McWhorter shares the stories of that year’s most impactful events and important people. For example, in the section focusing on the year 1961, McWhorter shares about the Alabama Freedom Riders. The information within this text is incredibly factual and heavy on details, almost like a history textbook. However, the information shared in an anecdotal fashion paired with the startling photographs grabs the reader’s attention and draws them into history in a way that a normal textbook could not. It is both poignant, insightful, and easy to understand. This book, though far too long to read aloud in one sitting, would be an excellent resource for middle childhood students and teachers.
Winner of the 2003 International Reading Association Award for Young Adult Novel
“I have a dream.” Everyone is familiar with these words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but not everyone knows the struggle that surrounded them. In the 1950s, America was not a place of fulfilled dreams for the nation’s black population. Widespread prejudice and segregation had left African Americans with fewer civil rights than other Americans. Bravely, the people did not remain quiet—a vibrant movement for civil rights began in the United States—one that would last for decades and would face innumerable challenges. Speaking Out is the story of America’s extraordinary Civil Rights Movement.
“Haley” Jackson grew up in poverty on the levees of New Orleans, hunting alligators along the Mississippi River for food and gathering driftwood for fuel with her brother Peter. But every Sunday, when her father preached at the Baptist Church, young Mahalia sang proudly in the choir—the youngest member at age five! Lively illustrations and engaging text pull young readers into the world in which Mahalia Jackson grew up. Whether constructing her doll’s braid from blades of grass, stuffing a cornhusk mattress, or adjusting to life in her Aunt Duke’s home after her mother died, young Mahalia displayed the persistence and courage that foreshadowed the civil rights champion and world-famous gospel singer she would become. Working as a maid and a laundress, she always found the time for her passion—singing her special brand of music known as gospel in churches. She met the challenge of being black in what was largely a white entertainment world, overcoming poverty and prejudice and pioneering the way for all aspiring African Americans who succeeded her. Singing for royalty, presidents, and working closely with her friend Martin Luther King, Haley never forgot her early days on the levee and she found special joy encouraging young African Americans to follow their ambitions. This replaces 0689717865.
The inspiring story of Frederick Douglass’s rise from slavery to prominence as an early abolitionist and civil rights champion is featured in this volume of the Young Patriots series. Focusing on Douglass’s early years, this profile details his difficult upbringing as a slave on a Maryland plantation, his early separation from his mother, and his move as an adolescent to the home of the Auld family in Baltimore. From a young age, Douglass knew that knowledge was a passport out of slavery, and this biography reveals his fierce dedication to education. Lively drawings illustrate the climate in which he grew up and the hurdles faced on the road to equality and freedom. Special features include a summary of Douglass’s adult accomplishments, including his position as advisor to President Lincoln; little-known facts about him; and a time line of his life.
She had not sought this moment but she was ready for it. When the policeman bent down to ask “Auntie, are you going to move?” all the strength of all the people through all those many years joined in her. She said, “No.”
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An extraordinary picture-book biography, Martin’s Big Words consists of Rappaport’s own words interwoven with quotes from Dr. King…all powerfully brought to life by Collier’s striking, glorious art. 
Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus helped establish the civil rights movement.
Set in 1741 New York City, this hypnotic tale, drawn from an obscure slice of American history, delves into topical issues, where a culture of fear creates a hunger for a scapegoat, and a mob mentality results in the tragic deaths of innocents.
