Let Us March On!
James Weldon Johnson and the Silent Protest Parade
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
A moving and inspiring nonfiction picture book about James Weldon Johnson and the first mass all-Black march for civil rights in the United States when 10,000 Black protestors, including children, marched down New York’s Fifth Avenue.
James Weldon Johnson was a man of words. He wrote “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a poem so uplifting and inspiring it became known as the Black national anthem. James was also a leader of the NAACP, and many people turned to him for advice in troubling times. And then was one of those times. White people were hurting Black people in scary and shocking ways.
“Let us march,” James said, “in New York City.” A big protest on the biggest avenue in the biggest city in the country. “And,” he said, “let’s make it a silent march.” Because sometimes silence can be more powerful than screaming and shouting.
In July 1917, James helped lead thousands of children and adults in the Silent Protest Parade as they marched down Fifth Avenue in New York City. Today, the parade stands as an inspiring reminder of the power of protest in all forms, and the power and resilience of young people in the face of ongoing racial hatred and violence.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A "man of words" envisions a silent demonstration in this moving account of the Silent Protest Parade, a 1917 Manhattan civil rights march. In free verse that creates a rhythmic tug, a third-person narrative introduces lawyer and poet James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938), whose "Lift Every Voice and Sing" became known as the Black national anthem. Early lines explain that "white people had long hurt Black people," and how increased attacks—further discussed in back matter—led Johnson to call for a march in New York City: "A big protest/ on the biggest avenue/ in the biggest city/ in the country," featuring "just serious,/ somber/ silence." Explaining that silence can sometimes be more powerful than words, he conceives an idea that results in a march of 10,000, including hundreds of silent children alongside adults, all protesting the hatred and violence. Crisp prose from Williams and Long is matched by Gordon's high-contrast digital illustrations in browns, oranges, and yellows, which mimic chalk and monoprint textures. An authors' note provides further context. Ages 4–8.
