Voice of freedom : Fannie Lou Hamer, spirit of the civil rights movement / [print]
Carole Boston Weatherford ; illustrated by Ekua Holmes.
- Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, (c)2015.
- 34 pages : illustrations ; 27 x 29 cm
Includes bibliographical references.
Sunflower County, Mississippi -- Delta Blues -- Spoiled -- My mother taught me -- Fair -- Not everyone could move up north -- Worse off than dogs -- Motherhood -- Literacy test -- On the move -- The price of freedom -- SNCC ("Snick") -- The beating -- Injustice -- Running -- Freedom summer -- 1964 Democratic National Convention, Atlantic City, New Jersey -- Africa -- Washington -- Black power -- America's problem -- No rest.
"I am sick and tired of being sick and tired." Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life, Fannie Lou Hamer was a champion of civil rights from the 1950s until her death in 1977. Integral to the Freedom Summer of 1964, Ms. Hamer gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention that, despite President Johnson's interference, aired on national TV news and spurred the nation to support the Freedom Democrats.
The daughter of educators, award-winning poet Carole Boston Weatherford began writing in first grade. Today she is the author of numerous books, including the Carter G. Woodson award winning title, The Sound That Jazz Makes and most recently, Dear Mr. Rosenwald. Her writing covers such topics as jazz and photography, as well as the slavery, reconstruction and Jim Crow eras. When she's not traveling or visiting museums, Carole is mining the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles. Coming from a family of educators, she has a passion for rescuing events and figures from obscurity by documenting American history. When commenting on writing Dear Mr. Rosenwald, Carole remarks, "I wrote Dear Mr. Rosenwald to document the African-American community's investment and involvement in education during the Jim Crow era. Much has been written about Booker T. Washington, but few know of his educational initiatives beyond Tuskegee Institute. A proponent of literacy, Washington urged philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, the president of Sears, Roebuck and a member of Tuskegee's board, to provide matching funds to build schools in rural communities in the South. More than 5,000 such schools were erected - 2,500-plus in North Carolina alone. Local communities not only raised funds for the school buildings but also provided sweat equity. The schools are a testament to the value that African-Americans placed on education. With limited resources, Rosenwald schools provided educational opportunities for generations of African Americans." A Fayetteville State University professor, Carole lives with her husband, son, and daughter in High Point, North Carolina. https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/authors/carole-boston-weatherford/
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor, 2016 Caldecott Honor Book, 2016 John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award, 2016 Boston Globe/Horn Book Nonfiction Honor, 2016
African American women civil rights workers--Biography--Juvenile literature. African Americans--Civil rights--History--Mississippi--20th century--Juvenile literature. Civil rights workers--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature. Civil rights movements--History--Mississippi--20th century--Juvenile literature. African American women civil rights workers--Poetry. Civil rights movements--History--20th century--Poetry. African Americans--Civil rights--History--20th century--Poetry. African Americans--Biography--Poetry. Women--Biography--Poetry.
Mississippi--Race relations--Juvenile literature.
Grade five. Grade six.
Picture books for children. Children's poetry Children's poetry--2015. Caldecott Medal: Honor book--2016. John Steptoe Award for New Talent--2016. Robert F. Sibert Award: Honor book--2016.