A Place at the Table: Struggles for Equality in America [Hardcover]

Maria Fleming (Editor)

Book Description

Inspiring and true, A Place at the Table chronicles the lives of American freedom fighters whose stories are little-known, but whose efforts have paved the way for equality and justice in the face of extreme prejudice. Unsung heroes and their brave deeds, such as house slave Elizabeth Freeman's momentous court battle winning her freedom, suffragette Sara Bard Field's cross-country journey for women's rights, and Nisqually Indian Billy Frank Jr.'s fight for Native American land rights, toppled barriers in education, voting, employment, housing, and other areas of discrimination. A rousing history of American champions of justice, A Place at the Table is filled with men and women who, when told by society to "stay in their place," insisted that "their place" was at the American table as full-fledged participants in democracy.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-After reading this collection of 12 essays, one begins to wonder why it is that in a country dedicated to freedom and equal rights for all, so many of our citizens have been marginalized. Many people believe that religious tolerance was a part of our early heritage; but what of the Baptists who were imprisoned in the 1700s for preaching their beliefs? Rosa Parks is now a household name, but how many students know about Elizabeth Jennings? A full century before Parks, Jennings sued and won a case after she defied a conductor, boarded a "whites-only" trolley car, and was forcibly evicted. The Trail of Tears is well known, but what of the Ponca tribe, divided by government cruelty? From ethnic persecution (including Asian, Mexican-American) to rights for gays, lesbians, and the disabled, this compilation includes lesser-known, often unsung heroes and heroines who fought for their rights. Funded by the Teaching Tolerance project, this volume is part of a larger packet of materials aimed at teaching students respect for others. Well illustrated with original photos and reproductions of documents that reinforce the powerful message of the text, A Place at the Table is a must-read for classes studying American history, government, politics, or law. It is also a valuable addition for schools and libraries looking to add multicultural materials to their collections.
Laurie Edwards, West Shore School District, Camp Hill, PA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-12. Fleming writes that our nation's challenge is to ensure that the ideals celebrated in our founding documents are "more than just promises on paper." This excellent resource profiles Americans who have struggled for those ideals, beginning with Colonialists who fought for religious liberty. Most of the subjects are lesser-known, such as the Louisville, Kentucky, protestors whose nonviolent strike against segregated transportation preceded the 1960s Civil Rights movement by 100 years. Other stories focus on young labor strikers, suffragettes, and advocates for rights for Native Americans, gays, and the handicapped. The accessible, anecdotal text gives plenty of historical context for each subject. It's unfortunate that a list of further reading is the book's only documentation, but boxes with primary documents and additional profiles, as well as plenty of photos, enhance this rich compendium that is sure to breathe new life into reports and inspire independent reading. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 152 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (February 7, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195150368
• ISBN-13: 978-0195150360
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,106,543 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A CLOSE LOOK AT THE STRUGGLES FOR EQUALITY IN AMERICA - GOOD FOR YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE, March 7, 2010

By 

D. Blankenship (The Ozarks) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Place at the Table: Struggles for Equality in America (Hardcover)

This is a booklet which is a part of a packet addressing the history of intolerance, racial, religious, sexual, etc. in our country since is founding. I have not seen or review the VSH Tape which is a part of this package, and have only read this supplement. This is a series of essays addressing various subjects starting with the religious persecution which was rather common in the days before our Constitution was written and ratified. I found this particular section of the book to be most enlightening as it is a subject which is more or less shoved to the side in most of our American History courses in school.

The book then goes on, via the essays, to cover racial persecution, from the beginning and working through the Civil Rights Movement of our recent time. Blacks, Hispanics, Asian, and Native American, all are included. I was pleased to find that the old Jim Crow laws were quite well addressed; another subject which is often overlooked. From there this work takes us to the European Immigrants and their plight and then on to the Asians.

There is a nice portion of this work devoted to the winning of the vote for women and of their struggle for equal right in the work place, and indeed, society and education. I was please with the way the issue of the Native Americans was handled in this booklet, from the beginning to this present day. We are then given a very nice work addressing the movement of the handicapped; again, something not normally studied.

Title IX, which assured the equality between sports for both boys and girls is very well addressed with a couple of very nice case histories.

Finally, there are a couple of very nice articles addressing gay and lesbian rights issues. This seems to be the most controversial section of the work. I have read a couple of reviews at other sites, as well as this one, and it is obvious that the reviewers did not actually read this work, see the film, nor give it much thought if they did. No where do I find in this section of the book "Christian Bashing." Nor do I find any "hidden agenda to make all our kids homosexuals." Where those critical remarks came from, from what sort of mind-set...I have not a clue. I found this subject to be well presented in a logical way, simply telling the other side of the story. As with the rest of this work, this section only preaches tolerance.

Overall I was most impressed with this work. It is written in a fashion that should give any kid, 15 years old and up, a good overview and more importantly, is certainly written to encourage further reading and investigation on the part of the student. Actually, there are many "adults" I know who would benefit greatly by giving this work a read.

America has come a very long way since we all got together and decided to create a country...a very fine country, in my opinion. But that being said, most thinking and observing people will acknowledge the fact that we still have a way to go. It is works such as this that just may help us continue in the right direction.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks