Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Life's most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on this important holiday to serve their neighbors and communities.
MLK Day is celebrated on the third Monday of every January; close to the time of Dr. King’s birthday, the 15th. This year, January 17, 2011, marks the 25th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. The campaign for a federal holiday began shortly after Dr. King’s assassination and in 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed it into law. It was first observed in 1986 and in the years since has become a day to encourage community and humanitarian service, and interracial cooperation around the world.
For tips and tools to help serve your community, visit the official MLK Day website (http://mlkday.gov). To learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. visit http://www.history.com/topics/martin-luther-king-jr and http://www.thekingcenter.org.
This feature, and those from previous years, highlight a selection of Children and Young Adult books pertaining to Dr. King.
Contributor: Emily Griffin
Reviews
After Gandhi: One Hundred Years of Nonviolent Resistance
Anne Sibley O'Brien and Perry Edmond O'Brien
Illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien
Anne Sibley O’Brien’s compelling jacket illustration leads the eye visually in much the way that the text in this beautifully crafted book leads the reader through the last one hundred years of nonviolent resistance in the world. People marching through time, carrying signs, gathering in numbers, form a roughly pyramidal shape against white space. Atop the pyramid is a lonely figure, cane in hand, ahead of his time. An introduction makes Mohandas K. Gandhi’s work accessible to young readers in the context of this book’s intent. His life’s journey from 1908 onward is examined in a brief chapter, starting with his earliest work in South Africa and ending with his assassination in 1948. Similarly positioned narratives follow, contextualizing the lives and work of peacemakers who came after Gandhi, many of whom were influenced by his thought and work. They are, in order, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr., Australian Aboriginal rights advocate Charles Perkins, César Chávez, Muhammad Ali in his role as draft resister, Irish Peace People founders Mairead Corrigan and Betty Williams, Azucena Villaflor de Vincenti of the Argentinean Mothers of the Disappeared, Aung San Suu Kyi, the student activist of Tiananmen Square, Desmond Tutu, Vaclav Havel, and Wangari Maathai. The 2003 worldwide protests against the Iraq war find room here as well, as does a speculative chapter on the future of nonviolence. A touching note in the backmatter speaks to the personal involvement of the authors, mother and son, in the 2006 Veterans and Survivors March for Peace and Justice. A detailed annotated bibliography and index round out this book. Informative and inspiring, After Gandhi speaks to young readers in a simple, compelling, and greatly needed voice. 2009, Charlesbridge, $24.95. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781580891295
ISBN: 1580891292
Birmingham Sunday
Larry Dane Brimner
Focusing on the civil rights struggles of the past century, the book opens with brief biographical information about the four girls who died in the September 15, 1963 bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. While all such studies include signal events such as the fatal church bombing and the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott, Brimner widens the field, building the tension forward from the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision stating that racially-based school segregation is unconstitutional. Lesser known activists, such as Autherine Lucy, Fred Shuttlesworth, and the bus riders who violated segregation laws before Rosa Parks, receive spotlight attention. The Children’s Crusade, civil rights leaders’ effort to engage children and teens in protests, is covered in detail. After explaining that bombings had been common occurrences in Birmingham since the 1940s, Brimner provides background and history of the Sixteenth Street Church as a venue for civil rights leaders to meet and to train protesters that indicate why the church was targeted with such a powerful blast. Expanding the field again, he includes the fate of Sara Collins, who survived the blast that killed her sister, and information about two teen boys killed the same day in separate incidents. Vivid black-and-white photographs and "ripped from the headlines" text bring the reader into the scene on each page. End matter includes references for further reading, source notes, and two informative messages from the author. 2010, Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills Press, $17.95. Ages 10 up. Reviewer: Heather N. Kolich (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781590786130
Child of the Civil Rights Movement
Paula Young Shelton
Illustrated by Raul Colón
Two parents decide to return with their three daughters to the Deep South during the time of the Freedom Riders, the early 1960s, returning to Georgia where Jim Crow laws exist. The family tests these laws by going to a Holiday Inn restaurant where they are refused entry. Despite the little girl’s cries and her mother’s pleas, the restaurant staff turns them away. "Uncle Martin" and the girl’s father work together for the civil rights movement. Shelton, the author/narrator of this account, is Andrew Young’s daughter, and she reveals a child’s perspective of this historic time in American history. Her gentle and poetic words deftly accompany the pencil drawings, whose soft colors show warm scenes of a child being held or carried while balancing the serious events happening. An endnote provides more detail about the people mentioned in the book and sources that were used. Although the vocabulary makes this book a wonderful early elementary choice, the information at the end could also be read by middle school readers. Shelton’s unique perspective and concise writing give an understanding glimpse into the significant events of the Civil Rights Movement. 2010, Shwartz & Wade Books, $17.99. Ages 5 to 9. Reviewer: Elizabeth Fronk (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780375843143
ISBN: 9780375954146
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
Susan Dudley Gold
Controversial issues leading to important legislation by the U.S. Congress reflect conflicts, personalities, and ideologies of their times. Cavendish’s "Landmark Legislation" series explores for teen readers the plots, characters, and outcomes of these national dramas. The 1964 Civil Rights Act was perhaps the most transformative of all. Today’s teens may not realize how black citizens endured oppression and humiliation for a hundred years after the Civil War. Gold makes it clear that by mid-twentieth century, it was time for a drastic change. Since first attempts at civil rights legislation were tepid, outraged African-Americans began to protest; Southerners of both political parties were often violent in their resistance to black equality. Gold traces the careers of those most influential in demanding and initiating legislation, including John and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. The story of Congressional action towards a comprehensive bill is extremely complex, beginning with obstruction in the Senate, violence in the South, and Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. When Lyndon Johnson assumed the Presidency, apprehensive African-Americans were amazed as Johnson, a Texan, brought his formidable political skills to the task of passing a Civil Rights Act. Even so, with wily Senatorial opponents, the struggle to pass a meaningful bill was one of the most intense ever known--if teen readers can sort out the intricate moves, they will get quite an education in Congressional strategies and power plays. Though Gold obviously admires Johnson’s determined leadership, she mentions that recorded conversations with Dr. King show that he and the President frequently consulted on strategy. Final chapters trace the immediate positive effects of the Bill and its influence on future progress, culminating in Barack Obama’s election in 2008. A list of young adult titles looks promising for research; also helpful is an explanation of the Bill’s eleven segments or "Titles." 2011, Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, $27.95. Ages 14 up. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781608700400
Coretta Scott
Ntozake Shange
Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
This sumptuous book opens to a tranquil pre-dawn vista: “some southern mornings / the moon / sits like an orange / sliver by the treetops.” How jarring to turn the page and see Coretta and her siblings, eyes downcast, walking five miles to “the nearest colored school / in the darkness.” Through Shange’s powerful poetry and Nelson’s rich, expressive oil paintings on birch plywood, we watch Coretta’s hurt and hardship evolve into spiritual and moral strength. The book follows Coretta Scott and Martin Luther King, Jr., as they meet, wed, pray, boycott, march, sing, and inspire. At the same time, it delivers a stirring snapshot of the civil rights movement, including Jim Crow, the Montgomery bus boycott, and the March on Washington, but this book is more about complex feelings than simple facts, showing the quiet determination of young men at a sit-in--not the “Negroes in shacks / and cotton fields” described on that double-page spread, but nonetheless “living in fear for their lives.” A few page turns reveal the juxtaposition of a swollen moon in a deep blue sky with the words: “things nature never intended / a child to see / haunted them.” The book closes with Coretta and Martin “singin’ always singin’,” their hope and faith as strong as the sunlight framing their faces. An author’s note provides additional context, including Martin’s assassination and Coretta’s courageous efforts on behalf of racial and economic justice, and peace. 2009, Amistad/Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, $17.99. Ages 4 to 9. Reviewer: Paula K. Zeller (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780061253645
ISBN: 9780061253652
ISBN: 0061253642
ISBN: 0061253650
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream Speech in Translation: What it Really Means
Leslie J. Holland
As part of a series called “Kids’ Translations,” this book explains the meaning and the importance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The book is nicely divided into three sections. The first section gives a short glimpse of the time and place of the famous speech. The second section is the entire speech, which includes explanations of Dr. King’s words and translations of some of the metaphors used. Dates, word definitions, and short historical sidebars are also included. The final section of the book gives a recap of the history of segregation and civil rights in the United States. The book’s design is a clean combination of text, black-and-white photos, and concise sidebars. For students and teachers undertaking research or preparing reports, a translation guide, time line, glossary, an index, and a bibliography of additional books and websites are also included. 2009, Capstone Press, $23.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Jody Little (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781429627931
ISBN: 142962793X
Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Russell Freedman
This excellent report of the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott in 1955 and 1956 details the issues and focuses on the people who took part in that famous civil action. The introduction explains some of the most restrictive aspects of segregation, such as separation in schools, churches, restaurants, drinking fountains and movie theaters. It also makes clear that the poll tax and the literacy test were used to keep many black citizens from voting, even those who were well educated, and that blacks who demanded their rights were often subjected to physical violence. The first three chapters describe four black women who were guilty of sitting in bus seats reserved for white passengers. The first woman, college professor Jo Ann Robinson, was forced off a nearly empty bus because she sat down in the fifth row of seats. The second and third, both teenage girls, were arrested in separate incidents in which they objected to being ordered to give up their legitimate seats to white passengers who boarded the buses when the seats reserved for white riders were full. In court, one was found guilty and the other pled guilty. E. D. Nixon, founder of the Montgomery chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, wanted to take one of these cases to the Supreme Court, but feared that the young women would have trouble surviving the stresses of the trials. When Rosa Parks, a forty-two-year-old seamstress and NAACP volunteer was arrested and jailed in a similar incident, Nixon had the right person. Attorney Fred Gray represented her in a case that was resolved by the Supreme Court decision that segregation on the Montgomery buses was unconstitutional. While the case was being argued, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. organized the black bus riders of Montgomery into a boycott that lasted from December 5, 1955 until November 13, 1956, the day the Supreme Court announced its decision. The boycott lasted all that time in spite of arrests of boycott leaders, bombings of their houses, and lawsuits to stop their providing rides for those who needed them most. A final chapter discusses the influence of the boycott and the court decision. The book is thoroughly illustrated with black and white photographs showing the people and the places involved in the boycott. Eight pages of notes, a three-page annotated bibliography, and an index follow the text. 2006, Holiday House, Ages 9 to 12, $12.95. Reviewer: Judy DaPolito (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780823420315
ISBN: 9780823421954
Hope!: A Story of Change in Obama’s America
Eric Stevens
Illustrated by Nick Derington
Anton Fox makes a bad decision when he decides to spray a brick wall with red paint. After he is arrested, the judge sentences him to seventy-five hours of community service work. He is to start on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Anton’s mother is very angry and tries to tell him to make the best of it. His assignment was to clean up the Mall in Washington, D. C. where the first black President was going to be sworn in. While working, Anton met a young man who was turning eighteen and was excited that he was going to be able to vote. He tried to explain what an honor it was going to be, but all Anton could think of was getting home to sleep. The day of the inauguration Anton’s mother made him go and they had to walk for hours to get near the stage. After listening to Obama, Anton could identify by thinking of how his very own grandfather had been asked to leave a restaurant sixty years ago. This book is well-written, provides lots of information in a short book, and, in the back of the book, the author provides more information about Obama, information on the author himself, a glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts. One side of the page is written in graphic form, and the facing page is written in straight text. This is a must for all school libraries, classroom libraries, and personal libraries. This is truly an excellent book. 2009, Stone Arch Books, $25.32. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Kathie M. Josephs (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781434217240
Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary
Elizabeth Partridge
In Partridge’s “Author's Note,” she describes seeing photographs from a civil rights march to Montgomery, feeling driven to learn more about this event, and becoming completely enthralled by it. The book she has created produces this same effect. For five days in March of 1965, marchers walked from Selma, Alabama to the state capital in Montgomery to protest the outrageous actions of the state and local governments in keeping blacks from voting. The number of marchers swelled to more than 30,000 when they reached Montgomery and included people of many races and of all ages, from children who had already been beaten and jailed to an eighty-five-year-old man who had lost his grandson in the struggle for Civil Rights. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the march until he was called away; he rejoined it later alongside Coretta Scott King and Rosa Parks. They were rewarded by the passage of the Voting Rights Act just five months later. This book brings honor to those involved with the march. To make the fascinating tale of the march and the events leading up to it even more gripping, Partridge focuses on the children and students who made it possible. Their courage and determination shine from every page and in every picture. In the face of incredible violence and discrimination, they stood firm in their principles of nonviolence. The photographs that originally captured Partridge's attention are the perfect complement to her words. She includes quotes from interviews she conducted with march participants, as well as song lyrics that practically sing themselves off the page. She also gives extensive sources and suggestions for further reading, and her website includes audio files (past and present), videos of current events, and curriculum ideas for those hungry to learn more. 2009, Viking/Penguin, $19.99. Ages 10 up. Reviewer: Jennifer Lehmann (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780670011896
ISBN: 0670011894
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Marion Dane Bauer
Illustrated by Jamie Smith
With just one sentence per page, Bauer manages to explain to young children who Dr. King is and why we celebrate a day in his honor. Segregation, boycotts, marches, and Dr. King’s message of nonviolence are presented in the text and shown in the illustrations. Children are depicted in most of the illustrations and are used effectively to draw the reader into the story. Dr. King is shown at the Lincoln Memorial where he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Other illustrations show African-American and white adults marching in the streets, and a young African-American girl walking into a school “to prove that black children had a right to learn beside white children.” Bauer makes a point about equality with a statement from Dr. King’s mother, “…you are just as good as anybody” which he took to heart and used in his speeches. This paperback, part of the “My First Biography” series, is a fine introduction for young children and those just beginning to read by themselves. 2009, Scholastic, Ages 3 to 7, $3.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children’s Literature).
ISBN: 9780545142335
ISBN: 0545142334
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Reagan Miller
Basic, important facts about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are presented to young readers: what it was like growing up in a segregated society; the influence that Mohandas Gandhi had on King’s leadership; and the important changes that took place as a result of his leadership. Mohandas Gandhi plays a very important role in Dr. King’s life. He first heard about Gandhi during a sermon given by Mordecai Johnson, president of Howard University, who had just returned from India. Dr. King was so impressed with his use of love for his advisories and his non-violent approach that he read and studied his life and techniques. How fortunate for us that the Civil Rights Movement adopted Dr. King’s technique, the non-violent approach, to achieve equality. At the bottom of every other page there is a “Did you know?” fact about Dr. King in bold letters on colors that stand out. In addition there is a section about how his holiday is celebrated. There is also a message to young children about how they can spread this message of love, equality, and non-violence. At the end of the book is a quiz for children to test their knowledge of Dr. King. It is part of the “Celebrations in My World” series. 2009, Crabtree Publishing Company, $26.60 and $8.95. Ages 5 to 9. Reviewer: Leila Toledo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780778742906
ISBN: 0778742903
ISBN: 9780778743088
ISBN: 077874308X
My Life with the Lincolns
Gayle Brandeis
This coming of age story is told through the voice of 12-year old Mina who is growing up in the challenging 1960s during the civil rights struggle and the conflict over the Vietnam War. Her father takes her to hear speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to participate in civil rights events. She is a precocious and highly intelligent Caucasian youngster who is fortunate to live history firsthand. Mina has a fantastic imagination, and she believes she is the reincarnation of one of Abraham Lincoln’s sons. Some of Mina’s thoughts are hilarious, while others are eye-opening. The story is also told through a newsletter written by Mina to promote her father’s furniture store, "Honest Abe’s," which also provides tidbits of historical information about Lincoln and his troubled wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. One subplot involves her father’s affair with a black civil rights advocate. This is the author’s first young adult novel, but she proves her ability to capture the ways a teenager might interpret events and assign meanings to them. The intricate storylines come together and create a wonderful read for adolescents and adults. Highly Recommended. 2010, Henry Holt and Co, 256pp., $16.99 hc. Ages 11 to 18. Reviewer: Caroline Geck (Library Media Connection, June 2010).
ISBN: 9780805090130
My Uncle Martin’s Big Heart
Angela Farris Watkins
The first spread in this warmly illustrated picture book depicts Martin Luther King Jr. on the National Mall before a large crowd as he delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech. Subsequent spreads, however, offer a personal and intimate view of the American icon as Watkins, a niece of Dr. King’s who is now a professor of psychology at Spelman College, recounts childhood memories of her "Uncle M.L." She recalls how amused her uncle was as she imitated her mother scolding her for breaking her pocketbook and how she would run into his welcoming arms, "pigtails flying" after his Sunday sermon at Ebenezer Baptist church. She also recalls his exhaustion from his work and how he once fell asleep on her family’s living room couch fully dressed in his white shirt, tie, gold watch and black shoes. Despite his constant travels and his tireless efforts on behalf of the Civil Rights movement, he squeezed in as much family time as possible. These specific details allow the reader to understand the human side of an American hero and although somewhat idealized, offers a vivid and unique perspective. Velasquez’s realistic and stunning up-close portraits magnificently reveal the love, pride, and affection of a niece for her uncle and vice versa. 2010, Abrams, $18.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Margaret Orto (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780810989757
Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change
Michelle Cook
Illustrated by Cozbi Cabrera
Great African-American history-makers are the focus of this simple text. During Barack Obama’s campaign for president, rallies and blogs repeated phrases that mentioned the people who paved the way for an African-American man to become president. This book is a short history lesson. African-American ancestors, George Washington Carver, Jesse Owens, Hattie McDaniel, Ella Fitzgerald, Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, Ruby Bridges, Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, and Barack Obama are mentioned in short poetic tribute to African-American greats. Because the text is meant to be inspirational, it is short, but the back of the book contains biographies of each of the people mentioned. Each spread of the book is illustrated by a different African-American illustrator. Each illustrator has a short biography in the back as well as comments about the book. It also contains a forward by Marian Wright Edelman of the Children’s Defense Fund. It would be an excellent selection for African-American history collections and to update libraries with current books about Barack Obama. 2009, Bloomsbury, $16.99. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Marcie Flinchum Atkins (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781599904184
ISBN: 1599904187
ISBN: 9781599904191
ISBN: 1599904195
Peaceful Heroes
Jonah Winter
Illustrated by Sean Addy
The introduction defines heroes as “warriors who fought to defend their people.” Heroes for modern times are those who would “die for their cause, but they would not kill for their cause.” Beginning with Jesus of Nazareth to Bill Feehan, a fireman killed at the World Trade Center, stories of fourteen heroes for peace are told. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Sojourner Truth, Clara Barton, and Corrie ten Boom are some that are well known. The founder of Amnesty International, Ginetta Sagan; Abdul Ghaffar Khan, a Muslim, who led peaceful demonstrations against British Rule in Pakistan; and Marla Ruzicka, a girl from California (1977-2005), who went to Iraq to give aid to those harmed by the war, are lesser known. Stylized portraits along with symbolic representations of their notable actions appear on tan paper accompanying the text. This book is a call for all of us to seek peaceful solutions. 2009, Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, Ages 12 to 18, $17.99. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780439623070
ISBN: 0439623073
The Rock and the River
Kekla Magoon
This moving debut novel is set in Chicago in 1968. Thirteen year-old Sam Childs is the main character. He idolizes his older brother, Steven, whom he calls Stick. Their father is an attorney who is very involved in the civil rights movement. In fact, Dr. Martin Luther King has even been a dinner guest on a couple of occasions. The plot revolves around Sam’s conflict between his father’s philosophy of non-violence and Stick’s increasing involvement with the Black Panthers. Sam accidentally discovers a gun that Stick has hidden in their bedroom and his struggle grows. He hates going against his father, but when their friend Bucky is beaten by the police, arrested and falsely accused of assaulting the officers, Sam is drawn toward accepting the policy of the Black Panthers. A sub-plot concerns his growing attachment to Maxie, a girl from the projects. The title evokes the decision Sam must make as to whether he will be the solid rock (like his dad), or the ever flowing river (like his brother). Young readers will learn much about this turbulent year as they read this well written story. With the proper introduction, it is sure to become a popular choice. Consider this as a definite buy for the young adult section. 2009, Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, $ 15.99. Ages 12 to 17. Reviewer: Sylvia Firth (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781416975823
ISBN: 1416975829
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down
Andrea Davis Pinkney
Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
It was 50 years ago when four students decided to sit at the whites only counter at a Woolworth’s in Greensboro, North Carolina. Today a piece of that lunch counter is in the National Museum of American History and Franklin McCain who was one of the original participants was part of the ribbon cutting ceremony at the same building that once housed the Woolworth's store, which is now the International Civil Rights Center & Museum. Andrea Pinkney’s tight but almost poetic text takes us through the initial days and uses wonderful imagery such as comparing the goal of integration to a recipe "Combine black with white to make sweet justice." The number of students sitting at the counter grew and they didn’t move, they ordered but no food ever came. They wanted a doughnut and coffee with cream on the side--what a clever choice. Since they were not breaking the law there was little that the police or store could do. There method of protesting spread across the south and Brian Pinkney’s illustration of a lunch counter with many student just swirls across a spread. It effectively shows how the protest stretched from North Carolina to towns in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Virginia. It was not always peaceful or pleasant as food was dumped or thrown on these protesting students who practiced peace while others showed hatred. The protests moved from lunch counters to other public places and eventually the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was formed. Eventually with the initiative of President Kennedy and final action by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed and it banned segregation in public places. The trifold celebrates the success of integration and once again Andrea Pinkey recites her recipe for integration. The closing pages offer a Civil Rights Timeline and facts about the original sit-in, plus a wealth of sources for even more information. A wonderful book for all students and particularly useful for Black History Month and to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. 2010, Little Brown, $16.99. Ages 7 up. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780316070164
To view reviews of books on this feature from a previous year, click on the following links:
2010
2009
2008
2004
Updated 12/27/10
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