Brimmer, Larry Dane. Twelve Days In May.

Brimmer, Larry Dane. Twelve Days In May. Boyd's Mills/Calkins Creek  2017  109p.  $18.95  ISBN 978-1-62979-586-7            ms/hs  Nonfiction  E-BN

This slim volume succinctly captures the background and reasons for the first Freedom Ride, an effort to test federal laws enacted to reduce racial discrimination, describing its participants and the events that occurred as Riders on two buses traveled from Washington D.C. to New Orleans. The best page of this book for researchers is the one-page listing of participants, their ethnic backgrounds, and a short sentence on the background of each one. This feature enables easy reference when the events listing specific Riders' names are discussed. The resoluteness of their belief in desegregation as mandated by federal law, their ability to behave nonviolently, and the fierceness of their opponents are all vividly captured through photos and quotations. The last chapter tells of the 1947 Journey of Reconciliation, a precursor to the Freedom Rides, and provides an update on the lives of the first Freedom Riders subsequent to their historic bus ride.     

Summary: The first Freedom Ride, an effort to test federal laws enacted to reduce discrimination in May 1961, comes alive with succinct descriptions of events, black-and-white photos, and quotes of Freedom Riders and their opponents. Grades 5-12.                                   

Civil Rights, Discrimination, Freedom Riders     --Lois McNicol

Brimmer, Larry Dane Twelve Days In May

Brimmer, Larry Dane            Twelve Days In May Boyd's Mills/Calkins Creek  2017   109p   18.95  978-1-62979-586-7            ms/hs             E-BN            

The first Freedom Ride, an effort to test federal laws enacted to reduce discrimination, in May 1961 comes alive with succinct descriptions of events, black and white photos and quotes of Freedom Riders and their opponents. Grades 5-12.          

This slim volume succinctly captures the background and reasons for the first Freedom Ride, an effort to test federal laws enacted to reduce racial discrimination, its participants and events that occurred as Riders on two buses travel from the Washington D.C. to New Orleans. The best page of this book for researchers is the one page listing of each participant, their race, and a short sentence of their background. This feature makes for easy reference when events listing specific Riders names are discussed. The resoluteness of their belief in desegregation as allowed by federal law, their ability to be nonviolent, and the fierceness of their opponents is all vividly captured through photos and quotations. A last chapter tells of the 1947 Journey of Reconciliation, a precursor to the Freedom Rides, and provides an update on the lives of the first Freedom Riders after their historic bus ride.                                     McNicol(3),Lois          Civil Rights, 1960s, Discrimination, Freedom Riders

Brimner, Larry Dane. Black & White.

Brimner, Larry Dane.    Black & White.    Boyd's Mills/Calkins Creek    112p $16.95 978-1-59078-766-3       ms/hs       E-BN           

This pictorial history of the confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene "Bull" Connor takes readers through the years of the late 1950s to the mid 1960s when the Civil Rights Movement was in full swing.  The author has chosen Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth to follow during this era, and although he is not as famous as some other African Americans, he did play a major role in fighting and confronting Bull Connor.  The progression of the confrontation led Bull Connor to ignore the fact that the whole world was watching it on TV.  Despite the violence shown the African American marchers, which left many of them injured, their persistence won the day.

The pictures in this book chronicle the movement for civil rights and the violence it encountered.  It is an excellent book to complement the African American curriculum, with plenty of photos, little known facts, an author’s note, a bibliography, and source notes. -- Magna Diaz