Freedom's Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories

Target audience: 11 and up

These individuals, who came from Alabama, Mississippi, or Arkansas, are not famous nor mentioned in students textbooks. However, they changed the course of American history by their extraordinary acts of courage. These individuals were either participants or leaders of the 1960s civil rights demonstrations in the 1960s. They were some fo the first black young people: 1)to attended formerly all-white schools; 2) to participate in sit-in at segregated lunch counters in stores; 3) to become Freedom Riders who protested on illegal separation on interstate buses; and 4) to fight for the rights to vote for blacks. Levine provides first-erson incidents of senseless beatings, unjust murders and jailings of those who show more stood up for people's rights.

These interviews have been gathered by Levine over many years. He recognized normal children and teenagers who performed acts of extreme courage and are worthy of recognition. The stories are impressive due to Levine's extraordinary writing skills. I winced many times through many beatings and unjust acts but I applaud these children who stood up for their and others' rights. I highly recommend the book to all individuals for those who work closely with children. show less

Teenaged activists operating in the '50s at and witnessing lunch counter sit-ins, bus boycotts, school integrations, Freedom Rides to test desegregated interstate buses and marches and demonstrations including the Edmund Pettus bridge recall their experiences and feelings. This is an easy and brisk read made compelling by the genuine narratives of adults who were convinced if frightened children. It definitely serves as a compact summary of the tumultuous and pivotal years. The focus is on the mid- to late '50s while the entire arc extends to the MLK assassination and landmark Civil Rights bills of the 1960s.

This book brings the history of the American civil rights struggle vividly to life. Many of the accounts made me cry, and the book has made me reassess my sceptical view of the effectiveness of protest marches. My only wish is that it had covered a longer period.

30 African-Americans teenagers in the 1950s and 1960s talk about what it was like for them to fight segregation in the South. Sitting in an all white restaurants and demand to be served, they refuse to give up a seat at the front of the bus, to be among the first to integrate the public schools, and to face violence, arrest, and even death for the cause of freedom.

Students can write a paper compare and constrast. they will know for them selves how time have changed.

This book is very inspirational to me. All these haven't really been recongized by society but they should recongize these stories. Every last person helped make this intergrated country. We all owe a round of appluase for this people. Just amazing stories inside.

I would like to say that I am having difficulty getting this book from Barnes and Nobles and they assure me that it will be in on Tuesday of this week. I could have switched books at the last minute to meet the deadline, but I really wanted to read this book. I should be finished with by Wednesday and will re-post at that time. Sorry for the inconvenience of having to check twice.