And We Rise: the Civil Rights Movement in Poems by Erica Martin - ADVISABLE

And We Rise: the Civil Rights Movement in Poems by Erica Martin, 124 pages. Viking (Penguin), 2022. $18. 9780593352526

Language: G (1 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (racial slurs, burnt body, historically accurate racial violence, blood, deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS – ADVISABLE, HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

From 1877 to 1968, Martin follows the Civil Rights Movement in poetry.

When I first started reading, I felt a little cheated – that each event covered was only allowed a few words. But as I immersed myself, each poem became a stripped down, stark, aching look at the person, the event, the moment – more powerful because blunt words accorded it. I would love ELA teachers to adopt this as a master text and use each poem for different groups of students to explore the subjects in even more depth - to spur research and writing. 

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS