By Lynda Blackmon Lowery
A nice story about democracy in action. I really enjoyed this fast read which relays how young people can have a huge impact on the world around them. This is a personal narrative on how one teenage student reached and marched against oppression in the early 1960's. This is a primary source of information from a view point that is seldom heard.
A young Lynda was brought up by a loving father and her grandmother, her mother had passed away when Lynda was young. They lived in Selma Alabama, under the governance of Wallace and their world is highly segregated. The white folks held all of the power and wealth and the ability to vote. It was believed that the power to vote could change their world. Dr. Martin Luther King was a solid proponent of "Steady, loving confrontation", that is to say non violent protest. Why then is Lynda marching when she is still in school. In Selma, if someone tried to vote, march or oppose those in power they could loose their job or housing. Therefor, the adults could not stand up, but their children could and did.
Lynda and her friends were very industrious in circumventing those in power. They even had a system for homework and taking tests. That did not stop them from being jailed, in fact many of these enterprising youngsters were jailed multiple times. Most of these adventures were peaceful and Lynda and friends were quickly released from jail, on one occasion they spent 6 days in a camp, but on most of these occasions family and friends would come rescue the youngsters. In large part this rebellion was peaceful until Jimmy Lee Jackson was shot, which was then followed by Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday was broadcast around the nation, and brought support for the black community. Then when Dr. Martin Luther King called for a large march to Mobile, the community was mobilized.
Lynda marched towards Alabama the youngest of the crowd. She felt the need to march to show Governor Wallace, that she would not back down even with the stitches in her head from Bloody Sunday. The march ended up being very peaceful, with national guardsmen protecting the group, as they neared Mobile the crowd increased and numbered into the thousands.
What I enjoyed the most about this text was the first person narrative and the direct connection to a troubling time in the United States. I am going to give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. The only thing I am marking it down for is I wish that there was a little more detail. I find this book very pertinent and important to read especially if you are studying the civil rights movement in the United States. Today's hyper sensitivity to race and religion makes this book important and think any student fourth grade and up would enjoy this story.
Links
No comments:
Post a Comment