March: Book One
John Lewis and Andrew Aydin
Illustrated by Nate Powell
Top Shelf Productions
Published August 14, 2013
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About March: Book One
March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis’ personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement.
Book One spans John Lewis’ youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins, building to a stunning climax on the steps of City Hall.
Many years ago, John Lewis and other student activists drew inspiration from the 1950s comic book Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story. Now, his own comics bring those days to life for a new audience, testifying to a movement whose echoes will be heard for generations.
My Review
This book has been on my TBR list for a long time. I love that it brings some of the history of the Civil Rights Movement to readers who enjoy a graphic novel format. The visuals also help make the events more real. I found it easy to imagine the real-life events unfolding from the static images on the page.
This part of the series highlights the beginning of the Nashville Student Movement, which was referenced in King: A Life, the biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that I read earlier this year. Reading these two books in such close proximity helped create a broader understanding of the Civil Rights Movement, the different groups involved, and the overall timeline of events.
There are several pages on which the text shows people using the “N” word against Black people. It never stops being shocking and awful. But it does highlight the great need for change that we faced (and still face) as a nation.
I’m excited to continue reading this series and to learn more about John Lewis’ life.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 13 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some panels show people using the “N” word to describe Black people.
Romance/Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
References to church.
Violent Content
Use of the N-word. Scenes show marching and sit-in protests. A few show violent responses to protestors, such as tear gas, physically dragging them away, and dumping food on them.
Drug Content
None.
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