The Teachers March!: How Selma's Teachers Changed History

A timely testament to the power of collectivism and the continued need for widespread civic engagement.

An alarmingly relevant book that mirrors current events.

Donating a portion of their proceeds to institutions in Selma, Ala., the married coauthors present a vivid nonfiction narrative that illuminates the January 1965 Teachers' March to Selma's Dallas County Courthouse. By highlighting and interweaving the journeys of a few specific people--Rev. F.D. Reese, who led marchers to register to vote; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who visited Selma to speak on voting rights; and Too Sweet, a teacher and single mother who joined the march--the Wallaces eloquently portray the vitality of the group effort as well as the high risk involved in participating in the initial and subsequent Selma marches. Abstract, multilayered acrylic paintings by Palmer ground readers in the action, such as a moving scene in which lines of teachers march. This well-researched picture book proves riveting in its telling of how everyday heroes led a fight that resulted in the Voting Rights Act. Back matter includes creators' notes, a timeline, a selected bibliography, and further resources. Ages 7-10. (Sept.)

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★ "This stunningly powerful book by a team of award-winning creators should be part of every classroom library and teacher-preparation program. It's the true story of the Reverend F. D. Reese, who taught high school science—but also freedom and equality. The narrative provides an unvarnished view of the deep levels of racism and violence that permeated society and aimed to thwart civil rights activism in the 1960s. The Wallaces pack their account with well-researched details so that readers get to know Reverend Reese and others as people as well as activists, and Palmer's vibrant acrylic paintings intensify the urgency of the moment. A timely testament to the power of collectivism and the continued need for widespread civic engagement." —Booklist, starred review

★ "This little-known march during the civil rights era is considered the catalyst for the other marches that shortly followed. This book does a masterful job of detailing the impetus for the teachers march. It is clearly communicated that the march was not spontaneous but carefully thought out—down to the teachers' packing food and toothbrushes in case they were arrested. Palmer's brushy paintings are full of color, detail, and emotion. The narrative is well paced and will work brilliantly as a read-aloud for patient, older preschoolers and early elementary-age children, and it should spark many a conversation about race and protest. An alarmingly relevant book that mirrors current events." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "A vivid nonfiction narrative that illuminates the January 1965 Teachers' March to Selma's Dallas County Courthouse. By highlighting and interweaving the journeys of a few specific people—Rev. F.D. Reese...Dr. Martin Luther King Jr....and Too Sweet, a teacher and single mother who joined the march—the Wallaces eloquently portray the vitality of the group effort as well as the high risk involved in participating in the initial and subsequent Selma marches. Abstract, multilayered acrylic paintings by Palmer ground readers in the action. This well-researched picture book proves riveting in its telling of how everyday heroes led a fight that resulted in the Voting Rights Act." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Reverend F. D. Reese was a Selma, Alabama science teacher at a Black high school by profession, and an activist at heart. Repeatedly turned down when he attempted to register to vote, he...cajol[ed] his fellow teachers to stand up as community leaders by marching to the county courthouse en masse to demand voting rights. The Wallaces base their account of this overlooked episode on a variety of resources, including interviews with Reese and other marchers. [It's]...a useful documentation of a key moment in the civil rights struggle. The image of toothbrush-wielding teachers facing down a bigoted sheriff is undeniably powerful, and Charly Palmer's muscular paintings convey the dignity and determination of these local heroes." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books