Primary-Intermediate
A group of teachers march for civil rights in Selma.
This book tells a historical story in an engaging, narrative way.

n 1965, a group of 104 teachers led by the Rev. F.D. Reese peacefully marched to the Dallas County Courthouse in Selma, Alabama, demanding Black citizens’ right to register to vote.

Reese, a science teacher at R.B. Hudson High School as well as pastor at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, got the idea of a teachers march while walking the halls of his school. After a recent march at which he and several other participants were beaten and turned away from the county courthouse, he decided that the way to make people take notice was to have teachers, the “somebody somebodies of the community,” stand up and fight for their rights. After seeing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on television, Reese wrote a letter to Dr. King asking him to come to Selma to speak, and he did. After Dr. King’s address before 700 people at Brown Chapel, the teachers took to the streets protesting for their right to vote. This little-known march during the civil rights era is considered the catalyst for the other marches that shortly followed. This book does a masterful job of detailing the impetus for the teachers march. It is clearly communicated that the march was not spontaneous but carefully thought out—down to the teachers’ packing food and toothbrushes in case they were arrested. Palmer’s brushy paintings are full of color, detail, and emotion. The narrative is well paced and will work brilliantly as a read-aloud for patient, older preschoolers and early elementary–age children, and it should spark many a conversation about race and protest. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 75% of actual size.)

An alarmingly relevant book that mirrors current events. (author’s note, illustrator’s note, timeline, bibliography, sites to visit) (Informational picture book. 5-8)

-Kirkus Review

High school science teacher Reverend F.D. Reese led marchers to the courthouse in Selma, Alabama, to register to vote, but Sheriff Clark and his deputies turned them away with violence. Reese realized that "if the teachers marched, people would notice, and change would come." And that's more or less what happened! Full-bleed acrylic on board paintings show the story unfolding. Back matter includes an authors' note, illustrator's note, photos, a timeline of the 1965 Voting Rights Movement in Selma, a selected bibliography, places to visit in person, additional resources, and photo credits. ( )

I think this book is perfect for intermediate- advance readers. Is a great informational text, with lots of illustrations, and I personally think that it is more on the heavy text. However, I would use it as a guide book of a cilvil rights assignment. ( )