Basic Information : Synopsis : Characters : Thoughts : Evaluation : Book Group : Book References : Good Quotes : Table of Contents : References
Basic Information:
Author:
John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell (Illustrator)
Edition:
eBook on Kindle
Publisher:
Top Shelf Productions
ISBN:
1603093958 (ISBN13: 9781603093958)
Start
Date: July 4, 2019
Read
Date: July 10, 2019
560
pages
Genre:
History, Biography, Civil Rights
Language
Warning: Low
Rated
Overall: 5 out of 5
History:
5 out of 5
Synopsis (Caution: Spoiler Alert-Jump to Thoughts):
There
are three volumes to this series. Each volume connects with President
Obama’s first inauguration. But then John Lewis quickly goes back
into his past to connect the dots on how the Civil Rights movement
The principal mode of protest were sit-ins and marches-hence the
title. Lewis walks us through these times. Including the Selma to
Montgomery march which spelled out what rights Americans have to
vote. He also has a section about the Washington DC march which
brought out Martin Luther King’s,
I Have A Dream
speech. In the end, there is death, beatings and serious injury. But
there is also the result of a black president.
Cast of Characters:
- John Lewis-author and president of SNCC./ Currently representative of Georgia's 5th District to Congress.
- Rosa Parks-ignitor of the Civil Rights movement with her refusal to give up a bus seat to a white.
- Martin Luther King, Jr
- Ralph Abernathy
- Fred Gray-Rosa Parks attorney
- Jim Lawson-taught Lewis non-violence. Was part of FOR
- Diane Nash
Thoughts:
Acronyms
- SNCC - Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
- FOR - Fellowship of Reconciliation. claims to be the "largest, oldest interfaith peace and justice organization in the United States."
- NSM - Nashville Student Movement.
At
first the “sound effects” added something, but by the third
volume, they were annoying.
March
I
The
motif is a couple of kids from Atlanta which meet John Lewis. Lewis
explains the various things which remind him of where he came from.
He also talks about how important schooling was to him. Lewis’ eyes
were opened to the possibilities of the world when his uncle took him
to Buffalo. There he was able to walk the streets with others, drink
from the same fountains and piss in the same toilets as white folk.
It
says something about Lewis that he could distinguish each chicken
under his care and that he knew their names. He cared for them. But
he felt his calling was to be a preacher. So he would preach to the
chickens.
His
interest in becoming a preacher takes legs when he finds a school in
Nashville which does a work-study program.The school was American
Baptist Theological Seminary. But he really thought going to his home
town school, Troy State, would be better because of the less expense.
In order to go there, he would need to involve his parents, which
they would not do.
While
at Nashville, Lewis attended a FOR seminar put on by Jim Lawson who
taught non-violent resistance. One of the things was to learn to love
in the face of being yelled at and shouted insults. The goal was to
avoid responding in kind. It also was to avoid being dehumanized.
This
last part was important. It is easy to accept what others think of
you as being you. Particularly when they come from a place of power.
March
II
Lewis
talks a lot about Robert F Kennedy. At first Kennedy was sympathetic,
but wanted to go slow. Over time and watching the movement, Kennedy
understood things better and eventually saw that there was a jarring
difference between the life he knew and the issues facing blacks,
particularly in the South. He told Lewis that he had changed through
the actions which Lewis and SNCC had taken. Lewis felt this said
something about the man.
Lewis
decides to ride the Freedom Ride of 1961 to Birmingham. His advisors
think it is too risky. But on his application to go on the bus, he
writes: I
know that an education is important and I hope to get one, but human
dignity is the most important thing in my life. This is the most
important decision in my life -- to decide to give up All
if necessary for the Freedom Ride, that justice and freedom might
come to the Deep South.
Powerful. But what makes it powerful is not just the words, but the
actions which back it up.
Lewis
also talks about Malcolm
X.
How I had viewed him was more as a radical who used violence to
achieve his objectives. I thought that he was more of a black
seperatist. But Lewis portrays him as someone more nuanced than that.
His preference was that the non-violent marches would proceed and the
movement used him more as a threat if they did not succeed. He was
more interested in equal rights than in sepertism. From Wikipedia
this was more in line when Lewis knew him rather than the 50’s.
Several
musicians, both black and white, sang at the March on Washington-most
of whom I have enjoyed: Mahialla Jackson, Josh White, Joan Baez, Bob
Dylan, and Peter,
Paul and Mary.
March
III
A
martyr's death is more than just someone has died. It can mean the
end of a struggle as in defeat. Or it can be raised to a higher
calling. When four girls died in a church basement, it was not just
four deaths, but a rallying cry to movement. We must be careful to
understand the person is not just a symbol, but a person. A person is
always greater than an idol.
People
will not change easily. The deeper the injustice, the bigger the
cost. This is Christian theology. Our sin cost God his Son. To obtain
being a person in people’s eyes, the blacks died to obtain that.
Lewis
believes that taking
a stand when it is time to take a stand.
But how do you know this is the time? Or when you are up ahead of
time??
When
you stand with people, you will be associated with them. Your name
will go down with them. Lewis points out that some whites were called
villains, … because they were with the blacks in this cause. Along
that lines, like in the current political climate many politicians
will call their opponents names-this is on both sides. But in my
mind, the moment you start calling people non-deserved names, then
you see to dehumanize them.
Is
there an end to the civil rights fight?
NPR’s
Morning
Edition on July 9, 2019
had a piece about how the FBI could have solved the case of the
murder of Rev James Reeb who went to Selma to march with John Lewis.
A person, William Portwood, two weeks before his death confessed to
NPR that he was involved with the death. In the article, it was noted
that by
2008, Alabama had become a place that was trying to come to terms
with its segregationist, racist past.
Evaluation:
Shortly
after Donald Trump became President, he said about John Lewis, “All
Talk”
and “No
Action”.
I suspect President Trump did not know who Lewis was and definitely
did not read this graphic novel.
This
three volume set goes through John Lewis’ life from birth to
President Obama’s graduation. He talks about how he got involved in
civil rights, from being beaten during the Freedom marches in the
1960’s to being a Congressman. It becomes plain that Lewis is not
somebody who stands by, but has laid his body on the line. Being a
graphic novel causes the reader to realize what words do not
portray-the violence, the dedication, and the intensity of the times.
Read
this to understand who John Lewis is.
Notes from my book group:
From
my Book Group on July 11, 2019:
58
years ago Lewis was released from the Parchman Farm this week.
- What themes and words did you find powerful? Were offensive to you? Which wanted you to take action?
- How does nonviolent resistance as espoused by Gandhi, King, and Lawson (pp. 76–77) work to bring about social change, and how does it compare to other methods? Contrast the violence which opens the book with the emphasis on the “peaceful transition to power” in the 2009 television’s broadcast (p. 14) and the similarly peaceful, largely silent pages (pp. 10-12) that precede it. What is the historical message implied by this contrast? (from litlovers)
- In what ways do Lewis’s religious background and values influence his approach to the struggle for civil rights as well as the movement as a whole (e.g., pp. 8, 27–28, 56, 104)? Do you feel that love of one’s attacker is a requirement for effective nonviolent resistance (p.82), and are there any signs of it in the book (p. 95)? (from litlovers)
- Lewis quotes Martin Luther King, Jr I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law. Is this true? If so, how? When does civil disobedience become right? Any examples from today?
- Which March resonated with you the most? Why?
- When Lewis spoke at the March for Washington, what themes did he bring to this? What is your impression? Are they true? Did he overstate/understate?
- The price of winning the Civil Rights war was the beatings and deaths of blacks. Was this price worth it? Were these beatings and deaths avoidable? If you were in line for one of these marches and were told you might die, would you still march?
- There came a point where whites were marching alongside blacks. What was the significance of these? What kinds of dynamics could change with a mixture of races? How do you maintain focus in situations like this?
- During the Civil Rights movement, blacks who ran the various Civil Rights groups were called various names. Such as communists, … There were rumors spread that there was widespread sex going on among the marchers. How do tags serve to dehumanize people?
- Did the whites and/or blacks want to come to an agreement on what Civil Rights meant? How could they have come to an agreement? How can that be applied to today’s environment?
- Does this book help you to identify any places where you consider others in less than human ways? Are there ways which our government, economy and/or traditions cause people to be dehumanized?
- Is there anything in our country going on equivalent to what the Civil Rights movement experienced? Is there a need right now? Should there be?
- How does change happen in this country?
- Does taking social action covey rightness to a cause? How did the marches led by John Lewis and other get the aura of rightness? How do you know that a cause is right? By what standards?
- Is there an end to the civil rights fight? What would an end to the fight look like?
i)
Did the presentation as a graphic novel work for you? Would you have
preferred a more traditional autobiography, such as his Walking
with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement?
ii)
Why do you think John Lewis chose to present his life in this manner?
In
an August 2014 interview, Lewis cited the influence of a 1958 comic
book, Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story, on his decision to
adapt his experience to the graphic novel format.
iii)
Did it work? Did you feel that March
allowed for a more emotional response than the descriptions in a
book?
iv)
Why is the book in black, white and gray?
====
Discussion
Questions from LitLovers:
1.
Why might this trilogy be entitled "March"? How many
marches can you find depicted or mentioned in March:
Book One
(front and back covers, pp. 5–9, 19–20, 88, 90–91, 96, 110,
116, 117)? Analyze the multiple meanings, and connotations, of the
word march with respect to the “how far we’ve come” theme (p.
19) that runs throughout the frame story. Specifically, how do the
actions of Lewis and his comrades exemplify the defining
characteristics of marching, such as being resolute, unified, and
steady? If the word is usually used to describe the movement of an
army, what is the significance of nonviolent groups doing the same?
Finally, how might John Lewis’ line “We have to march,” in
response to the bombing of the Loobys’ house (p. 116), signal the
climax of the book?
2
How does nonviolent resistance as espoused by Gandhi, King, and
Lawson (pp. 76–77) work to bring about social change, and how does
it compare to other methods? Contrast the violence which opens the
book with the emphasis on the “peaceful transition to power” in
the 2009 television’s broadcast (p. 14) and the similarly peaceful,
largely silent pages (pp. 10-12) that precede it. What is the
historical message implied by this contrast?
3.
In what ways do Lewis’s religious background and values influence
his approach to the struggle for civil rights as well as the movement
as a whole (e.g., pp. 8, 27–28, 56, 104)? Do you feel that love of
one’s attacker is a requirement for effective nonviolent resistance
(p.82), and are there any signs of it in the book (p. 95)?
4.
History is often considered to be made up of recorded facts. In
contrast, what important role might subjective factors such “dreams”
and “fate” play in history, according to March?
Trace the theme of wishes, dreams, and the “spirit of history”
during the course of the book (pp. 19, 25–26, 50, 73, 87, 113).
When the alarm clock on page 13 goes off, in what ways might it
signify the end of a nightmare, or the transition from a dream to a
reality, in terms of national race relations? Does the inauguration
of Barack Obama represent the complete fulfillment of Dr. King’s
dream, or merely a step?
5.
The phrase “law and order” seems to imply that maintaining social
order is an important function of police and other law enforcement
authorities. But what happens when preserving the existing status quo
makes such authorities the instigators of violence rather than those
who protect citizens from it (pp. 6, 101)? How should individuals and
groups respond when the justice system itself is bent to serve
certain positions and interests (p. 107)?
6.
What is the relationship between geography, community, and politics
in March?
As just one example, how does the isolation of the chickens in their
henhouse reflect the isolation of Lewis’s family on their farm (pp.
20–22, 28)? What visual elements help convey these ideas?
Similarly, how does the trip to Buffalo, with its bright lights and
vertical heights (p. 42) that mirror the scale of Lewis’s
aspirations for himself and society, illustrate his dawning sense of
possibilities both figuratively and literally (as a Northern city
free of the everyday prejudices of the South)? On the other hand, in
what ways does the rural community of Alabama exemplify the notion of
a tight-knit community despite being spread out geographically (pp.
58, 72)?
7.
To practice a crucial skill when reading the memoir form, identify
and analyze the “turning points” in John Lewis’s life. Some of
these the text’s language highlights for us, as in “home never
felt the same” (p. 66), Jim Lawson’s words signaling a “way
out” (p. 78) and “my first arrest” (p. 103). What would you add
to such a group? For example, is the attempt to transfer to Troy
State (p. 66) a turning point even if does not work out? How do the
authors use the visual layout of their pages to emphasize important
moments and emotions (for example, by giving a large amount of space
to a single image, up to a full page or “splash page”)?
8.
The phrase “law and order” seems to imply that maintaining social
order is an important function of police and other law enforcement
authorities. But what happens when preserving the existing status quo
makes such authorities the instigators of violence rather than those
who protect citizens from it (pp. 6, 101)? How should individuals
and groups respond when the justice system itself is bent to serve
certain positions and interests (p. 107)?
10.
What role did economic factors play in the process of desegregation?
Specifically, if African Americans had represented a far smaller part
of the buying public, do you think tactics such as boycotts and
sit-ins would have been as effective? (pp. 59, 83–84, 92–93, 96,
110) What example of economic freedom early in March
may have inspired Lewis by providing a model of what racially
integrated commerce looks like in practice (pp. 42-45)? 7
11.
How do the events depicted in March
connect to your life personally? Discuss with an older family member
or friend their memories of the early 1960s and the civil rights
movement. Alternatively, is there a modern-day issue for which you
might be willing to take a stand? Would you use the same techniques
as the Nashville Student Movement, or a different strategy? Has
reading March
changed your perspective, and if so, how?
(Questions
issued by the publisher.)
=====
1.
Why might Rep. Lewis have chosen this medium for his book?
2.
What does this medium add to our understanding of civil rights and
racial justice?
3.
In many ways, the books are about the power of words – nonviolent
protest, words codified as law, the powerful oratory of the civil
rights giants – and yet the medium cannot exist without the power
of image. Where do these two modes of expression (words and images)
work exceptionally well together?
4.
Consider how the authors and illustrator help us distinguish between
words that were sung, spoken, preached, and/or heard over the radio.
Which visual cues tell us whether the story is in the past or the
present?*
5.
Some pages feature a mostly white background, while others are black.
Sometimes spreads are particularly busy and full of action, and
others are sparse. Some images are vast and others feature close-ups.
How does the layout of the page enhance its message?
In
Book One:
6.
Discuss how Powell uses art between pages 60-63 to relay the passage
of time in Rep. Lewis’ life and narrative.*
7.
Pages 68 and 69 contain almost no words. How does the visual
presentation impact you as a reader?
In
Book Two:
8.
Do you notice the small yet powerful visual difference in the images
on pages 17 and 21? What does it add to the message?
9.
On pages 79-82, the reader goes from the past, to the present, and
then back to the past, with “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” sung
throughout the transitions, adding multiple layers of meaning.
Discuss how and why the authors do this.*
10.
On page 123, discuss the powerful image in which Rep. Lewis is
punched in the face with the text, “By the end of 1962, you heard
people questioning whether SNCC should even BE a multi-racial
organization.” What do the graphics add to this scene?*
11.
On page 130, the authors relay a powerful passage from Dr. King’s
Letter from Birmingham Jail. Discuss the use of black, white, and
gray as well as the page design to brilliantly relay the lighter
message of hope from the dark depths of prison.*
General
discussion questions:
12.
What is the role of religion in Rep. Lewis’s life and in his
motivation to pursue civil rights? See Book One: page 27 and pages
30-35. Can you count how many scenes take place in churches
throughout the book? Why do you think that is?
13.
What does the frame of the 2009 presidential inauguration add to the
story? How does that feel different to us in this political climate?
14.
On page 109 in Book Two, as the Freedom Ride campaign continued, Rep.
Lewis writes, “By the end of the summer, dozens more busses carried
the nation’s daughters and sons into the heart of the Deep South to
carry on the work we began. The fare was paid in blood, but the
Freedom Rides stirred the national consciousness and awoke the hearts
and minds of a generation… We were becoming a national movement.”
Discuss how and why national movements “become.”*
15.
Book Two begins where Book One left off with the inauguration of
President Obama. It is now 10:17 a.m. and Rep. Lewis is greeted by a
colleague in the House of Representatives before heading to the dais.
In this opening scene, we’re hit with our first metaphor, as Rep.
Lewis is told to hurry, to which he replies, “There’s no need to
hurry – I’ll end up where I need to be.” What is Rep. Lewis
telling us about the pace of social change?*
16.
Discuss Dr. King’s words to President Kennedy when he says in Book
Two on p. 95: “It’s difficult to understand the position of
oppressed people. Ours is a way out — creative moral, and
nonviolent. It is not tied to Black Supremacy or Communism, but to
the plight of the oppressed. It can save the soul of America.” What
criticisms are Dr. King responding to, and what does his response say
about social movements led by oppressed people?
*
This question based on questions prepared by the Comic Book Legal
Defense Fund
Book References:
- Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story by Fellowship of Reconciliation,
Good Quotes:
- First Line: John?
- Last Line: It will not be the first time sonny boy.
- I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law. Martin Luther King, Jr from Letter from a Birmingham Jail, April 18, 1963
- The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men. President Lyndon B. Johnson, at the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
- March I
- March II
- March III
References:
- Author's Web Site
- Wikipedia-Book
- Wikipedia-Author
- Amazon-Book
- Amazon-Author
- GoodReads-Book
- GoodReads-Author
- New York Times Review
- CSPAN interviews
- March on Washington Speech in 1963
- Video on YouTube
- Anti Defamation League questions
- Vox review
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