Author carol boston weatherford uses a creative array of freeverse poems to introduce readers to the real fannie lou hamer. Fannie lou hamer, spirit of the civil rights movement, and it offers an inyourface compilation of the many events that made up ms. There are several biographies of hamer, including kay mills, this little light of mine. Her parents were jim and lou ella townsend, who were sharecroppers in the mississippi delta area. Aug 04, 2015 a 2016 caldecott honor booka 2016 robert f. Bostonian wins caldecott honor for biography of civil rights. Fannie lou hamer civil rights activist, philanthropist. The spirit of the civil rights movement nonfiction, hardcover, by carole boston weatherford candlewick press, aug 04, 2015 african american literature book club celebrating our literary legacy since 1997 black literature is for everyone african american literature book club.
Kay mills was a journalist and author of five nonfiction books who revived the nearlylost stories of women journalists and civil rights icons, wrote this biography. Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life. Voice of freedom is a striking picturebook biography for children aged 9 to 12. Many histories of the civil rights movement in the south include information about hamer. Beautifully written and illustrated, it is one of the too few books about a major figure in the civil rights movement that is not about king, parks, or lewis. From sharecropping to politics, by david rubel with an introduction by andrew young 1990. Sibert honor booka 2016 john steptoe new talent illustrator award winnerstirring poems and stunning collage illustrations combine to celebrate the life of fannie lou hamer, a champion of equal voting rights. The life of fannie lou hamer women in american history by chana kai lee.
Medals for fannie lou hamer childrens books by the. A biography in poems of activist fannie lou hamer follows her path from a childhood working cotton in a family of sharecroppers to her emergence as a civil rights activist and politician working to secure voting rights and representation for african americans in mississippi and nationally. This book explores the life of one of mississippis greatest civil rights activists, fannie lou hamer. Voice of freedom is infused with hamers own quotes and the colloquial style that defined her skill as a speaker. This book is composed of free versed poems that details the hardships fannie faced as a child until she was an adult. In 1962, she attended a meeting led by sncc activists, during which she learned of her constitutional right to vote. Voice of freedom fannie lou hamer candlewick press. Apr 15, 2019 a leader of the civil rights movement, fannie lou hamer was born fannie lou townsend on october 6, 1917, in montgomery county, mississippi, the youngest of 20 children. Hamer gave a speech at the democratic national convention that, despite president johnsons interference, aired on national tv. It is a beautiful book, and in the capable hands of carole boston weatherford readers are transport back through the life and achievements of fannie lou hamer. Hamer started working in the fields when she was only six years old. Featuring vibrant mixedmedia art full of intricate detail, this book celebrates fannie lou hamers life and legacy with a message of hope, determination and strength. Fannie lou hamer, spirit of the civil rights movement about the life of fannie lou hamer. Bookpage childrens top pick, august 2015 fannie lou hamer was a tireless champion of civil rights, from the moment she attempted to register to vote in 1962 until her death in 1977.
To tell it like it is margaret walker alexander series in african american studies by maegan parker brooks and davis w. Voice of freedom brings civil rights activist to life the. The project includes a k12 curriculum, a youth filmmakers workshop, a virtual tour of related sites in the mississippi delta, a childrens book, and an animated cartoon. The life of fannie lou hamer is a biography of fannie lou hamer, who is a noted civil rights activist. Fannie lou hamer 19171977 was a civil rights activist whose passionate depiction of her own suffering in a racist society helped focus attention on the plight of africanamericans throughout. Known for her daring, her brinkmanship and her impassioned speechmaking, hamer rose to prominence in the mississippi freedom democratic party, an intrepid group which tried to unseat the predominantly white democrats of mississippi during the 1964 democratic national convention. Fannie lou hamer, spirit of the civil rights movement won a caldecott honor as a runner up to the. A picture book about hamer s life, voice of freedom. Fannie lou hamers america find your voice is a multimodal project designed to honor civil rights activist fannie lou hamer. She went to work on the plantation where her husband drove a tractor, first as a field worker and then as the plantations timekeeper. Fannie lou hamer, spirit of the civil rights movement won a caldecott honor, robert sibert honor for informational books, and coretta scott king john steptoe new talent award for illustrator ekua holmes at the american library association youth media awards in january 2016. This muchawarded book is told in the voice of fannie lou hamer herself in a free. In a new childrens book, roxbury painter and collage artist ekua holmes juxtaposes light and dark, flowers and protest signs to represent the life of fannie lou hamer, civilrights activist. Hamer is also one of 28 civil rights icons depicted on the buffalo, new york freedom wall.
Fannie lou hamer was determined to change the world. This expansive, richly illustrated biography about the voice of the civil rights movement recounts hamers humble and povertystricken beginnings in 1917 as the 20th child of mississippi sharecroppers through her struggle to fight for the rights of black people on local, regional, and. Sibert honor book a 2016 john steptoe new talent illustrator award winner stirring poems and stunning collage illustrations combine to celebrate the life of fannie lou hamer, a champion of equal voting rights. A leader of the civil rights movement, fannie lou hamer was born fannie lou townsend on october 6, 1917, in montgomery county, mississippi, the youngest of 20 children. Fannie lou hamer, born in mississippi, was working in the fields when she was six and was only educated through the sixth grade. Jan 16, 2016 this week, roxbury artist ekua holmes first childrens book, voice of freedom.
A picture book about hamers life, voice of freedom. Finally, a book for children about fannie lou hamer, one of the most influential women in the modern civil rights movement. Carole boston weatherford has written numerous awardwinning books for children, including becoming billie holiday, illustrated by floyd cooper, which won a. In a new childrens book, roxbury painter and collage artist ekua holmes juxtaposes light and dark, flowers and protest signs to represent the life.
The spirit of the civil rights movement written by carole boston weatherford illustrated by ekua holmes age range. Fannie lou hamer march 10, 2017 mahoganybooks fannie lou townshend 19171977 was born into poverty, the youngest of 20 children, to sharecroppers lou ella and jim townshend in montgomery county, mississippi. Fannie lous parents worked, and they worked hard, and they stayed poor. From this arresting beginning jordan evokes a human presence in a text as simple as tobias crowell biography below, but with strikingly contrasting incisiveness from start to finish. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. A welcome addition to civil rights literature for children. Nov 18, 2015 artist ekua holmes is an established boston fine artist, but to the picture book world, she is something new. Fannie lou hamer is an informational, non fiction, and biography that follows the life of fannie lou hamer, a civil rights activist. Vibrant illustrations by ekua holmes support the twentytwo poems elegantly, reflecting their rhythm and movement.
Growing up in the american south, she knew firsthand the impact of racism and the economic turmoil that black americans experience. Fannie lou hamer, spirit of the civil rights movement by carole boston weatherford stirring poems and stunning collage illustrations combine to celebrate the life of fannie lou hamer, a champion of equal voting rights. Featuring vibrant mixedmedia art full of intricate detail, this book celebrates fannie lou hamer s life and legacy with a message of hope, determination and strength. Fannie lou hamer, spirit of the civil rights movement, was written by carole boston weatherford. Because amelia smiled, by david ezra stein candlewick. May 26, 2016 join peggy howell as she discusses lillian s right to vote by jonah winter and voice of freedom. 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. In freeverse text, coupled with spirituals and quotes, the book.
Malcolm x called her the countrys number one freedomfighting woman. While the book spotlights some of the specific hardships fannie lou hamer faced, her individual truth evokes the experiences faced by many others and helps students better understand the. Aug 03, 2015 if you know little or nothing about the shocking life of civil rights activist fannie lou hamer, this new picture book can get you all caught up. Jan 10, 2014 this book explores the life of one of mississippi s greatest civil rights activists, fannie lou hamer. Civil rights activist fannie lou hamer was born on 6 october, 1917, in montgomery county, mississippi, and was the youngest of 20 children. In a new childrens book, roxbury painter and collage artist ekua holmes juxtaposes light and dark, flowers and protest signs to represent the life of fannie lou. She went to work on the plantation where her husband drove a tractor, first as a field worker and. Fannie lou townsend was born to mississippi sharecroppers in 1917. Fannie lous mother was short, black, and poor, in mississippi, and she never let anybody beat up on her babies. She went to work on the plantation where her husband drove a tractor, first as a field worker and then as the plantation s timekeeper.
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