John Lewis was born in Troy, Alabama, and started working raising chickens on his family farm. He wanted to be a preacher, and began practicing in front of his chickens. He grew up to become the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from 1963 to 1966. He was one of the organizers of the 1963 March on Washington. Lewis led the first of three marches from Selma to Montgomery in 1965, and was part of the incident at Edmund Pettus Bridge known as Bloody Sunday. He was a believer in non-violence based advocacy. He was elected to Congress to serve in the United States House of Representatives of Georgia’s 5th congressional district from 1987 to 2020, when he died.

One of the ways he ensured his story and experience dismantling legalized segregation through Jim Crow laws was by co-writing a graphic comic novel, that he calls a comic book during this speech at a library when his book launched. The book is called “March,” and it comes in three parts.

In honor of Black History Month, the Howland Public Library is inviting Middle School and High School students to participate in a special Read and Respond project. The Beacon Public Library is giving away a limited number of copies beginning Monday, February 21, 2022 in hopes that students (and their adults) read it in this fun and engaging format, learn more about the Civil Rights movement through the eyes of Congressman John Lewis, and answer a question posed by the library. Answers may be featured here at A Little Beacon Blog!

Inspiration For The Comic Book “March”

When Lewis was a student, he was inspired by the 1958 comic book “Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story.” Now, the March trilogy brings the history of the Civil Rights Movement to a whole new generation.

Extra Credit For Your Brain!

To learn more about John Lewis’ lifelong work for civil rights and social justice, students (and anyone with a library card) can also stream the documentary “Good Trouble” for free on Hoopla, the library’s free app that works with your Beacon library card number.

Read and Respond: Student’s Answers Featured At A Little Beacon Blog

After reading the book or watching the film, students are asked to write about what the concept of “good trouble” means to them. Lewis was always told to not get into trouble. Yet through his work with Dr. Martin Luther King and learning about Ghandi and Theroux, he said that he saw the need to get into good trouble and make some noise.

Their answers from students will be displayed at the library and may be featured here on A Little Beacon Blog. Responses are due by Friday, March 11th. Students who share their responses will also be entered in a drawing for a chance to win copies of Book Two & Three of the March Trilogy.

The books will be available on Monday, February 21st, for youth in grades 6 and up on a first come, first serve basis. One per household. “March: Book One” is also available as an eBook through the library’s app, Hoopla. For more information, contact Michelle Rivas, Young Adult Programs Coordinator, at community@beaconlibrary.org.