Freedom's Children by Ellen Levine

This was a really great compilation of first-person accounts of the civil rights movement in the South in the early 60s. Levine interviewed dozens of people who were children and teens at the time, and she clearly took great pains to include stories about many different incidents from different points of view.

One of the most interesting parts (in my opinion) was the testimonies of five different people who experienced an activist pastor getting beaten up during the desegregation of schools. I think it's really powerful to hear about one incident from multiple people and to hear the same--or nearly the same--thing from all of them.

Obviously, the stories about Dr. King stand out, too, but I really liked that he was definitely not the main focus of the book. You can't help but really appreciate how much happened before Dr. King was able to make his great speeches, how many others refused to give way to White oppressors before Rosa Parks refused to move on the bus.

This would be a great book for children in middle school or high school to read to better understand the movement. I don't think you can help but be emotionally affected and empathize with those who were courageous enough to stand up for what they believed in at the time. They say you shouldn't praise someone for being courageous just for living life, but screw it!, surviving childhood at that time as a non-White person was courageous!

~8/10~