We read these books about Alabama in preparation for our roadtrip to visit family there. We hadn’t been since before the kids were born, which means I know my history much better now compared to back then!
We visited the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Ivy Green-the birthplace of Helen Keller, and the US Space and Rocket Center, to name a few. It was a packed trip that even included a few stops in Tennessee!
General Alabama History
“Travel across the diverse state of Alabama and meet its famous sons and daughters, from legendary football coach Bear Bryant to the remarkable Helen Keller and civil rights activist Rosa Parks. Visit landmarks such as the Bellingrath Home, or stop by Landmark Park and see how a farm was run in the 1890s. Written in the popular two-tier format for the Discover America State by State series, with simple rhymes for younger children and expository text for older children, Y is for Yellowhammer is a delightful tour of the state of Alabama.” (description from Amazon)
“Since the early 19th century, the women of Gee’s Bend in southern Alabama have created stunning, vibrant quilts. Award-winning author Susan Goldman Rubin’s The Quilts of Gee’s Bend explores the history and culture of this fascinating group of women and their unique quilting traditions, using meticulous research to offer an exclusive look at an important facet of African American art and culture.” (description from Amazon)
We enjoyed the photographs of different quilting patterns and learning about the quilters of Gee’s Bend. There are also directions at the end for kids to try making their own quilt.
The Slave Who Went to Congress
“In 1870 Benjamin Turner, who spent the first 40 years of his life as a slave, was elected to the U.S. Congress. He was the first African American from Alabama to earn that distinction. In a recreation of Turner’s own words, based on speeches and other writings that Turner left behind, co-authors Marti S. Rosner and Frye Gaillard have crafted the story of a remarkable man who taught himself to read when he was young and began a lifetime quest for education and freedom.” (description from Amazon)
There is also more information in the Afterword at the end of the book.
Civil Rights Movement
“Mention the civil rights era in Alabama and most people recall images of terrible violence. But for the citizens of Huntsville, creativity, courage, and cooperation were the keys to working together to integrate their city and schools in peace. This engaging celebration of a lesser-known chapter in American and African-American history shows how racial discrimination, bullying, and unfairness can be faced successfully with perseverance and ingenuity.” (description from Amazon)
“Reverend F.D. Reese was a leader of the Voting Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama. As a teacher and principal, he recognized that his colleagues were viewed with great respect in the city. Could he convince them to risk their jobs–and perhaps their lives–by organizing a teachers-only march to the county courthouse to demand their right to vote? On January 22, 1965, the Black teachers left their classrooms and did just that, with Reverend Reese leading the way. Noted nonfiction authors Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace conducted the last interviews with Reverend Reese before his death in 2018 and interviewed several teachers and their family members in order to tell this story, which is especially important today.” (description from Amazon)
The main focus is on Mary Hamilton’s life and the court case Hamilton v Alabama. It resulted in the ruling that Black people must be addressed with the same titles as white people in court. This book also touches upon the Freedom Riders.
“Mary Hamilton grew up knowing right from wrong. She was proud to be Black, and when the chance came along to join the Civil Rights Movement and become a Freedom Rider, she was eager to fight for what she believed in. Mary was arrested again and again―and she did not back down when faced with insults or disrespect. In an Alabama court, a white prosecutor called her by her first name, but she refused to answer unless he called her “Miss Hamilton.” The judge charged her with contempt of court, but that wasn’t the end of it. Miss Mary Hamilton fought the contempt charge all the way to the Supreme Court.” (description from Amazon)
Ruth and the Green Book, free to read online at archive.org
We read this the day before we took a roadtrip down south. Through this story, we were able to imagine how it must have felt to have lived during Jim Crow. The book includes an author’s note about the Green Book with photos of it.
“Ruth was so excited to take a trip in her family’s new car! In the early 1950s, few African Americans could afford to buy cars, so this would be an adventure. But she soon found out that black travelers weren’t treated very well in some towns. Many hotels and gas stations refused service to black people. Daddy was upset about something called Jim Crow laws . . .
“Finally, a friendly attendant at a gas station showed Ruth’s family The Green Book. It listed all of the places that would welcome black travelers. With this guidebook―and the kindness of strangers―Ruth could finally make a safe journey from Chicago to her grandma’s house in Alabama.” (description from Amazon)
This is the story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott through the eyes of Georgia Gilmore. We really felt the team effort of the movement through Gilmore’s contributions. There is an author’s note and photo of Georgia Gilmore at the end.
“Throughout the boycott–at Holt Street Baptist Church meetings led by a young minister named Martin Luther King, Jr.–and throughout the struggle for justice, Georgia served up her mouth-watering fried chicken, her spicy collard greens, and her sweet potato pie, eventually selling them to raise money to help the cause.” (description from Amazon)
Wind Flyers, read it for free online at archive.org
This was a great introduction to the Tuskeegee airmen and their heroic contributions during World War II.
“With fleeting prose and transcendent imagery, this book reveals how a boy’s love of flight takes him on a journey from the dusty dirt roads of Alabama to the war-torn skies of Europe and into the hearts of those who are only now beginning to understand the part these brave souls played in the history of America.” (from Amazon)
Notable People
Rosa Parks
- Boycott Blues
- I Am Rosa Parks (Early Reader)
- When Rosa Parks Went Fishing (Parks’ early years)
- If A Bus Could Talk (by artist Faith Ringgold), archive.org
Helen Keller
- Helen Keller: The World at her Fingertips (easy reader)
- Helen Keller: Courage in the Dark (easy reader, level 4)
- Helen Keller’s Best Friend Belle (Keller’s early years)
Middle Grade Chapter Books
My Selma, chapter book for ages 10 to 14
“
“Infused with the vernacular of her Southern upbringing, My Selma captures the voice and vision of a fascinating young person—perspicacious, impetuous, resourceful, and even mystical in her ways of seeing the world around her—who gifts us with a loving portrayal of her hometown while also delivering a no-holds-barred indictment of the time and place.” (description from Amazon)
The Watsons Go to Birmingham, read it for free online at archive.org
“When Momma and Dad decide it’s time for a visit to Grandma, Dad comes home with the amazing Ultra-Glide, and the Watsons set out on a trip like no other. They’re heading south. They’re going to Birmingham, Alabama, toward one of the darkest moments in America’s history.” (from back cover)
And….there’s a movie!
“The Tuskegee Airmen heroically fought for the right to be officers of the US military so that they might participate in World War II by flying overseas to help defeat fascism. However, after winning that battle, they faced their next great challenge at Freeman Field, Iowa, where racist white officers barred them from entering the prestigious Officers’ Club that their rank promised them. The Freeman Field Mutiny, as it became known, would eventually lead to the desegregation of the US armed forces, forever changing the course of American history and race relations.
“Critically acclaimed author Barbara Binns tells the story of one man’s remarkable life, and in doing so, explores the trials of the brave Black freedom fighters who defended the world against racism and bigotry, both on the front lines and at home.” (from Amazon)