Step by Step!: How the Lincoln School Marchers Blazed a Trail to Justice
About
Do you know the story of 19 Black mothers and 37 children who marched for school integration in Ohio?In Step by Step! twelve-year-old Joyce Clemons shares her fictional memory book documenting this little-known --but very true--civil rights history.Following the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, Black mothers in Hillsboro, OH, attempted to enroll their children at the all-white Webster School. However, the local school board refused the call for integration. Demanding equal education, a group of Black mothers and children marched to and from Webster dailyuntil Black students were admitted. In Step by Step!, New York Times bestselling author Debbie Rigaud and coauthor Dr. Carlotta Penn thoughtfully capture the voice of a young activist and emphasize the power of Black mothers leadership. Nysha Lillys expressive illustrations, with historical primary sources interspersed throughout, immerse readers in the Lincoln School Marchers fight. Rigaud and Penn simultaneously convey the challenges the marchers faced with the uplifting joy of a united community, encouraging readers to keep on marching for justice.
Why it’s great
In 1955, following Brown v. Board of Education, nineteen Black mothers and thirty-seven children in Hillsboro, Ohio marched for school integration when local officials refused to comply with the law. This illustrated picture book, narrated by twelve-year-old Joyce, documents a little-known but true chapter of civil rights history. A story of community, courage, and the belief that the law can be made to serve everyone.
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