Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary

Partridge, Elizabeth. 2009. MARCHING FOR FREEDOM: WALK TOGETHER, CHILDREN, AND DON’T YOU GROW WEARY. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670011896 [Suggested Grade Levels 4- 8]

REVIEW
There have been numerous accounts of the Civil Rights Movement; however, the plight of children has rarely been covered. Partridge chronicles, in words and images, the brutal events that led to the march from Selma, Alabama in 1965 through the eyes of young protesters who stood by their adult counterparts. Readers are introduced to Joanne Black, a girl from Selma, Alabama, who was arrested at the age of ten, and outlines several stories of young people who were arrested due to their undying belief in freedom and the right to vote. Through the use of quotes, songs, and poems, their stories are told in such a way that demands the reader’s attention due to the suspenseful and inspirational narrative and the powerful black and white photographs that accompany the text.

MARCHING FOR FREEDOM shows readers how ordinary children can make an extraordinary difference by taking a stand. The book would be a wonderful asset for elementary and middle school libraries and readers who seek a new perspective on the Civil Rights Movement.

CONNECTIONS
Gather several books about children of the Civil Rights Movement. Have readers make note of common character traits that the children possessed and reflect if contemporary children have those same characteristics. Have readers consider and respond to the question: Do children react to social injustices now the same way as they did during the Civil Rights Movement?

RELATED BOOKS
Other books about brave children of the Civil Rights Movement:
Levine, Ellen S. FREEDOM’S CHILDREN: YOUNG CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS TELL THEIR OWN STORIES. ISBN 9780698118706
Mayer, Robert H. WHEN THE CHILDREN MARCHED: THE BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. ISBN 9780766029309

By Brandi D. Grant