Some books attach to my being in ways that are difficult to shake; and that’s if I wanted to let it go. Blood Brother by Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace is one of those books. (It is hot off the press and you should make sure that your school library has ordered a copy.) The events depicted took place when I was only ten years old; nevertheless, these events have and continue to shape my life. Some people suggest that the civil rights movement has run its course; that we should get over it; that we are doing better; or that those who claim mistreatment are lazy. As an English educator, I have heard variations of these statements too many times from seemingly earnest preservice and in-service teachers.
We must start where we are. I started in small ways in middle school and in much bigger ways in high school. In the eighth grade I moved back to Las Vegas and I attended an integrated school—go Hyde Park Panthers. Later at Western High School—go Warriors. I shared student council duties with Alvin Smith. It was the 1972-73 school year and the first year that our school had a black student body officer and a black cheerleader. As the only two males on the student council, Alvin and I formed an alliance to form some measure of influence again the five female officers. It was an important growth experience for me and I have written about it in a chapter included in Unhooking from Whiteness.
The students we teach must start where they are. Many of my preservice teachers in Louisiana, while they lived in the south, they lived fairly segregated lives. Their parents sent them to private schools or white flight schools that while integrated, did not represent the racial balance of the larger area. Many students wanted to work in predominantly black schools but often met their student teaching placement assignment with a good measure of trepidation. We talked, they read, they often worked with experienced teachers who were confronting racial issues, and they made progress as they engaged with students who where different.
The students we teach must start where they are. Many of my preservice teachers in Louisiana, while they lived in the south, they lived fairly segregated lives. Their parents sent them to private schools or white flight schools that while integrated, did not represent the racial balance of the larger area. Many students wanted to work in predominantly black schools but often met their student teaching placement assignment with a good measure of trepidation. We talked, they read, they often worked with experienced teachers who were confronting racial issues, and they made progress as they engaged with students who where different.
Can YA literature help?
The struggle for civil rights is real and ongoing. Black Lives Matter do matter. If you don’t buy their argument, I don’t have enough time to persuade you in this post. It is widely discussed from a variety of positions throughout the web. Be open-minded; imagine that any position or privilege you might hold is capable of being scrutinized and re-positioned. Reading, for me, has always been a powerful vicarious experience. Books matter and reading matters in the lives of our students. If you teach students at any level and haven’t done a short book talk in awhile; please do it the next time you meet your students. Consider: Brown Girl Dreaming, How it Went Down, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Monster, The Watson’s Go to Birmingham 1963, Copper Sun, The Skin I’m In, Crossover, We Were Here, Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, American Born Chinese, Inside Out and Back Again, and Everything, Everything. In addition, you should ignore nonfiction and Blood Brother should be at the top of the list.
The struggle for civil rights is real and ongoing. Black Lives Matter do matter. If you don’t buy their argument, I don’t have enough time to persuade you in this post. It is widely discussed from a variety of positions throughout the web. Be open-minded; imagine that any position or privilege you might hold is capable of being scrutinized and re-positioned. Reading, for me, has always been a powerful vicarious experience. Books matter and reading matters in the lives of our students. If you teach students at any level and haven’t done a short book talk in awhile; please do it the next time you meet your students. Consider: Brown Girl Dreaming, How it Went Down, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Monster, The Watson’s Go to Birmingham 1963, Copper Sun, The Skin I’m In, Crossover, We Were Here, Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, American Born Chinese, Inside Out and Back Again, and Everything, Everything. In addition, you should ignore nonfiction and Blood Brother should be at the top of the list.
If you have been following Dr. Bickmore’s YA Wednesday, you know I have recently featured quite a bit of Non-fiction. In this case, I hope you consider reading and book talking Blood Brother. It is just recently released and deserves the same amount of attention that has been lavished on works of nonfiction. I am specifically thinking about the recent work of M. T. Anderson (discussed here) and Steve Sheinkin (discussed here). Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights tells the story of the civil rights activist Jonathan Daniels. I wish I could say I knew this name before being introduced to the book; but I didn’t. I knew some of the events before and leading up to his death, but not the name. It disturbs me that I didn’t. There have been too many personal sacrifices that go unnamed and we should name them. Rich and Sandra do a remarkable job reminding us about the name and deeds of Jonathan Daniels. Their attention to detail and the use primary sources including photo, interviews and a variety of sources is a model of excellent research. As I read this wonderful book, I kept stopping to look up connected information and pondering why I just didn’t know more. Texts like the graphic novel series, March and films like, Selma remind those of us who lived through the time period about the early beginnings of the civil rights movement and can serve as an introduction for those encountering the events for the first time. Should the education we provide just glaze over the surface? I don’t think so. Rich and Sandra offer a closer look. In addition, their social media pages provide a great deal more information to accompany the book's release.
Before you go. I have to say that Rich and Sandra are incredible people. Authors, Academics, teachers, and librarians in the YA community are genuinely friendly people, but Rich and Sandra are a couple who have been so welcoming and generous that it is hard to believe. As I work to include more direct connections to authors, I have been sending interview questions. Below, you can click on the answers to the questions from both of them. They are great and both have other books (There should be another post in the future.) that will enrich your classroom libraries.
Sandra Neil Wallace Interview:
Rich Wallace Interview:
Thanks for Reading this special Friday edition of Dr. Bickmore's YA Wednesday.
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