Fight On!: Mary Church Terrell's Battle for Integration
Grade 6-9-In this carefully researched, fascinating biography, the life of the feisty, courageous, and determined woman who spent nearly 60 years fighting for racial equality vividly unfolds. "Mollie," as Terrell was called, was born to former slaves in 1863, and went on to attend Oberlin College and become the first black woman appointed to the Washington, DC, Board of Education. She was a cofounder of the NAACP, fought against lynching, worked with Susan B. Anthony to win the vote for women, and began the struggle to end segregation in the District's restaurants and theaters that resulted in a Supreme Court case ending this segregation when she was 90 years old. This title, which incorporates documented primary-source material and archival photographs and reproductions, gives a clear and compelling look at the social history of the time, placing Terrell's achievements and life in a rich historical context. Both Patricia and Fredrick McKissack's Mary Church Terrell (Enslow, 2002) and Gwenyth Swain's Civil Rights Pioneer (Carolrhoda, 1999) are for younger audiences. The Fradins' biography belongs in most collections not only for its assignment value, but also because it is an inspiring picture of a woman who fought for the rights awarded every American: equality and justice.Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Library, Belcamp, MDCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.