From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up?This readable account begins with a discussion of the legacy of slavery, putting into perspective the denial of basic human rights to African Americans. Patterson follows the course of the civil rights movement into the early 1970s, focusing on key turning points: school desegregation court cases, the Montgomery bus boycott, student sit-ins and freedom rides, the March on Washington, voter registration drives, and the march from Selma to Montgomery that culminated in the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Average-quality black-and-white photographs of leaders and protests appear throughout. Patricia and Fredrick McKissack's The Civil Rights Movement in America (Childrens, 1991) presents more complete coverage than Patterson's title; Walter Dean Myers's Now Is Your Time! (HarperCollins, 1992) focuses more on slavery; and Mildred Pitts Walter's Mississippi Challenge (Bradbury, 1992) concentrates on the struggle for civil rights in that state. While Patterson's book does not break any new ground, its excellent organization, chapter notes, and bibliography, as well as the author's clear style, make it a welcome addition. A credible and sympathetic examination of an important part of American history.?Dana McDougald, Cedar Shoals High School, Athens, GA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 6^-12. Focusing on its origins, key figures, and role in shaping American culture, the latest entry in the Social Reform Movements series chronicles America's civil-rights movement. Patterson concisely traces major events of the movement, from the desegregation of Southern schools, businesses, and transportation systems to the days following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Of most interest to history students will be Patterson's examination of the shift in civil-rights groups' methods, goals, and leadership--from nonviolent integration to black power, from desegregation and voters' rights to jobs, housing, and poverty, and from the NAACP to the Black Panthers. The inclusion of a time line, chapter notes, and a reading list makes this a solid, outstanding reference for history and political science collections and useful for both curricular enhancement and independent study. Mary Romano Marks
