Williams, Yohuru. More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Michael G. Long, Illus. Farrar Straus Giroux, 08/2023. 272pp. Nonfiction. Trade $21.99. 978-0374391744. GRADES 8–12. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Go beyond feel-good nostalgia to explore the political maneuvering, debate, sexism, and logistics behind the most influential and largest political protest of its era: the 1963 March for Jobs and Freedom. This well-researched exploration of the radical underpinnings and impressive organization that led to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech knocks the dust off the iconic event, bringing it to life and providing questions and procedures for aspiring activists and students of history. Myriad period photographs, ephemera, and first-person accounts add immediacy. While a handful of chapters pose questions to the reader, the quality varies and some of the meatiest are never asked. A very useful resource for classroom teachers who can capitalize on the many strengths and supplement the deficiencies. Backmatter includes additional considerations, source notes, image credits, and an index.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired