The story of the children’s march in Birmingham in May, 1963, is told from the perspective of a fictional young girl. After hearing Martin Luther King, Jr., speak at church, the girl and her brother are inspired to march, knowing that the consequences of their action might be jail. And, indeed, the girl does go to jail, for two days. But her participation, and that of other courageous children, helped shine the spotlight on racial injustice inherent in Jim Crow Laws. Frank Morrison’s vivid oil paintings accurately portray the historical time period, and his shifting perspectives and sweeping images heighten the tension and the drama of this story. (Ages 7–11)

This powerful picture book introduces young readers to a key event in the struggle for Civil Rights. Winner, Coretta Scott King Honor Award.

In 1963 Birmingham, Alabama, thousands of African American children volunteered to march for their rights after hearing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak. They protested the laws that kept black people separate from white people. Facing fear, hate, and danger, these children used their voices to change the world.

Frank Morrison's emotive oil-on-canvas paintings bring this historical event to life, while Monica Clark-Robinson's moving and poetic words document this remarkable time.

I couldn't play on the same playground as the white kids.

I couldn't go to their schools.

I couldn't drink from their water fountains.

There were so many things I couldn't do.