A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hoose, Phillip. 2009. CLAUDETTE COLVIN: TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE. New York, N.Y.: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 0374313227
B. SUMMARY
Many of us are familiar with Rosa Parks and her role in the Civil Rights Movement. In “Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice”, author Phillip Hoose provides a comprehensive account of a lesser known person who unknown to many, played a rather significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. Her name is Claudette Colvin and she was a 15-year-old teenager on March 2, 1955 when she refused to give up her seat to a white female passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her act was sparked by anger and resentment at the unfairness of the Jim Crow segregation laws but unlike Rosa Parks, Colvin did not find herself being perceived as a heroine. She was alienated by her peers, and declared an unfit role model by the black civil rights activists of the time. However, she did find herself back in the spotlight when she agreed to put her name down as one of four plaintiffs in the landmark busing case, Browder v. Gayle.
It was only years later that author Phillip Hoose came across her name whilst doing some research and decided to track her down, and finally gave her story a ‘voice’ in this stirring nonfiction account which portrays the history of the time and also Colvin’s recollections of the events of the period.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Drawing upon extensive research and a series of fourteen long interviews with his subject, author Phillip Hoose paints a compelling portrait of a pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement, Claudette Colvin. Colvin had been all but forgotten in history until Hoose took it upon himself to find out more about her, years after segregation had been ended in the United States. The book has an extensive bibliography of books, articles, and websites on the subject of segregation, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Civil Rights Movement.
The book is organized into two parts with chapter divisions that make it convenient for readers. The factual information is logically presented yet written in a manner that makes it an effortless read. There is also an index at the back of the book which makes it convenient for cross-referencing. In addition, there are chapter notes which provide additional information to readers such as the sources for the various quotes scattered throughout the book. The insertion of quotes by real-life figures that played a role in the Civil Rights movement enhances one’s reading experience and engagement with the text, whilst lending credibility to the account.
In terms of design, there are many black and white photographs throughout the book, such as photographs of various segregated places in the South, for example a colored theater, a colored restroom, photographs of Colvin, and of other prominent civil rights activists of the time. The photographs complement the text and the white-on-black appearance of the sidebars provide a stark contrast to the text which is apt given the somber subject matter being discussed.
As for style, Hoose writes in an easily accessible manner, and the text reads like a narrative, especially in the parts where Colvin herself is recounting the events that transpired back in the 50s, using first person narration. The language is easy to understand, which is desirable considering the target audience of young adults. The issues covered in the book provide food for thought for critical young minds and will encourage lively classroom discussion.
D. AWARDS/ REVIEW EXCERPT (S)
2009 National Book Award Winner, Young People’s Literature
Jane Addams Honor Book Award
Booklist, Starred Review: “Hoose draws from numerous personal interviews with Colvin in this exceptional title that is part historical account, part memoir. Hoose’s lucid explanations of background figures and events alternate with lengthy passages in Colvin’s own words, and the mix of voices creates a comprehensive view of the Montgomery bus boycott and the landmark court case, Browder v. Gayle, that grew from it.”
School Library Journal: “The text is supplemented with black-and-white photos, reproductions of period newspapers and documents, and sidebars. While virtually all students know Rosa Parks's story, this well-written and engaging book will introduce them to a teen who also fought for racial justice and give them a new perspective on the era, making it an outstanding choice for most collections.”
E.CONNECTIONS
*Compare and contrast several informational works on the theme of “The Civil Rights Movement in the United States”:
Bausum, Ann. 2006. FREEDOM RIDERS: JOHN LEWIS AND KIM ZWERG ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. National Geographic. ISBN 0792241738.
Bridges, Ruby. 1999. THROUGH MY EYES. Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590189239.
Morrison, Tony. 2004. REMEMBER: THE JOURNEY TO SCHOOL INTEGRATION. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 061839740X.
Partridge, Elizabeth. 2009. MARCHING FOR FREEDOM: WALK TOGETHER CHILDREN AND DON'T YOU GROW WEARY. Viking Juvenile. ISBN 0670011894.
*Teachers/librarians can invite guest speakers from within the community to talk to the children/students about the Civil Rights Movement.
*Students can be encouraged to do a project on one personality (of their own choosing) who was active/prominent during the Civil Rights Movement.
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