On Monday, we attended a kick-off event for the Big Read at Orem Public Library. I'll be honest, when I heard about this community event, and the book
I will be the first to admit, I don't know enough about the Civil Rights Movement. I don't know enough about the kinds of prejudices and racism that happened (and unfortunately, still happen) particularly in the South. I did know a little about Jim Crow laws, but hadn't ever heard of Jim Crow etiquette. The kinds of things white people expected black people to do was shocking, embarrassing, and simply unbelievable! This included the expectation that black people would always address white people with a title of respect such as "Doctor," "Boss," "Mr.," or "Miss." Whereas, black people were always addressed by their first name, "girl," "boy," or other less-savory names.
I have also picked up a few exceptional YA novels about this movement. One, Mississippi Trial, 1955
, was written by a BYU professor and takes the factual story of Emmett Till's murder and places an impressionable young boy in the midst of it. This book was powerful and really well-written - it gave me a much better feel for Southern ideas and ways.I just finished reading another fantastic novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963
, that centers on this period. I think, growing up where I did, I didn't have enough education on this matter. Or maybe I just didn't understand it. Either way, I am finally beginning to understand the events and feelings of people who lived through this extremely important time in our nation's history.I am really excited to reread this amazing book with this additional knowledge, as well as several more years' worth of experience. If you live in the area, please make an effort to participate and also attend some of the events planned. If you don't live here, pick up this book again (I'm sure you read it in school once upon a time) and give it another go!
Oh, and one other thing Mr. Ellis noted was that people often love books or relate to books because they find in them a piece of truth that speaks to their soul. (I don't think he said "soul" but I immediately thought it when he said that.) I LOVE that!
5 comments:
Wow, that sounds like a great lecture! Thanks for sharing some snippets. I really like what you said he said about loving/relating to books because we find a piece of truth in them that speaks to us. I completely agree!
I want to read that "Mississippi Trial" book. When I was student teaching, my mentor teacher had a YA non-fiction book in her collection about Emmmett Till that I read. It was horrific and yet fascinating. I can't remember what it was called, but I'm sure that you, as a librarian, would be able to track it down fairly easily. ;)
lindsay, thanks for the comments, I think you would have LOVED hearing him. There are actually quite a few YA non-fic books about Emmett Till, but it just so happens that Chris Crowe, the author of the fiction one, has written at least one, Getting Away with Murder: the True Story of the Emmett Till Case. Apparently, he has studied Till a lot.
I thought you would love the fact that we are reading Mockingbird again - I remember you loved that book and the movie too!
Moley, I don't want to upset you by recommending a documentary (as opposed to a book), but Eyes on the Prize is 14 hours very well spent.
You probably can find it at the library, though :) This PBS thing is just a rerelease.
cheltz, I suppose I'm not offended :) I guess librarians are supposed to promote multi-media, instead of just books. I should work on that. It does look like a very good series, I will have to watch at least some of it!
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