Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1976)

Set in 1933-1934 in Spokane County, Mississippi, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is narrated by Cassie, a young black girl whose mother is a teacher and whose father works on the railroad to make enough money to keep their house and farmland. Cassie, her older brother Stacey, and younger brothers Christopher-John and Little Man encounter unfairness daily; exhibit A is their walk to and from school, as the white kids' bus throws dirt and mud on them as it passes. Exhibit B is their school books, obviously years old and formerly the property of white students, only handed down once they were in terrible condition. But they encounter worse and more dangerous injustice when their neighbor, T.J., gets involved with white "friends."

See also: Stella By Starlight by Sharon Draper

Quotes

"White is something just like black is something. Everybody born on this earth is something and nobody, no matter what color, is better than anybody else."
"Then how come Mr. Simms don't know that?"
"Because he's one of those people who has to believe that white people are better than black people to make himself feel big...
So now, even though seventy years have passed since slavery, most white people still think of us as they did then - and people like Mr. Simms hold on to that belief harder than some other folks because they have little else to hold on to." (Mama and Cassie, 127-129)

"[We] even fought in their war together. What good was it? A black man's life ain't worth the life of a cowfly down here." (Uncle Hammer, 138)

"It's tough out there, boy, and as long as there are people, there's gonna be somebody trying to take what you got and trying to drag you down. It's up to you whether you let them or not....You care what a lot of useless people say 'bout you you'll never get anywhere, 'cause there's a lotta folks don't want you to make it." (Uncle Hammer to Stacey, 143)

"But there are other things, Cassie, that if I'd let be, they'd eat away at me and destroy me in the end. And it's the same with you, baby. There are things you can't back down on, things you gotta take a stand on. But it's up to you to decide what them things are." (Papa, 175-176) ( )

Warmth, humor and hard times prevail as a black family struggles to maintain dignity and independence in Depression-era Mississippi.

If I ever teach 7th and 8th grade, I will be using this novel. I think it is a great way to help them develop cultural awareness and gain perspective from the time period of the setting of the book. ( )

I love this book! This is a story about Cassie Logan and her family. The story takes place during the Jim Crow era. The book highlights the burning of crosses, homes of colored people and mistreat of Blacks during this time. It provides insight on the Freedman's journey to become truly free.

I would use this book to educate the students on differences and acceptance. I would use it to reinforce that there isn't a difference between anyone except for skin tone. ( )

This story takes place in Mississippi during the Great Depression, highlighting the challenges of the economy , the horrors of racism and segregation. After reading this story you are going to want to read more and luckily for you, there is a book that follows this one. ( )