Each volume in this three-part series is more gripping than the last. This third volume documents the violence that surrounded the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. By including depictions of Presidential politics and police violence, the authors make this history as current as today's headlines.
The story of the civil rights movement receives a fresh dramatization in this graphic novel, which tells how it inspired one young man -- who went on to shape the movement. Early on, co-creators Aydin and Powell gently but powerfully show how Lewis's deep religious feelings shaped his actions. The visual format adds a gripping immediacy to the depiction of white intimidation and terror in the racist South. With this context, one can feel how risky and radical the nonviolent sit-in movement was. Lewis's description of the careful training that preceded the protests may be illuminating to younger, activist-minded readers. Powell's hand-lettered dialogue is small and ragged in spots, but he employs a number of subtle visual techniques that bring the story to life.
March. Book One. A great historic portrayal of the early civil rights movement ... not just for youth but for all. I was genuinely surprised at how the genre (which I previously called comic books) so well conveys nuances of fact and feeling. Add this book to your must-read list.