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Summary
Summary
Thurgood Marshall--the first black justice on the Supreme Court and a giant of the civil rights movement--jumps to life in this inspiring picture-book biography from an award-winning author and six-time Coretta Scott King, four-time Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator.
Thurgood Marshall was a born lawyer--the loudest talker, funniest joke teller, and best arguer from the time he was a kid growing up in Baltimore in the early 1900s. He would go on to become the star of his high school and college debate teams, a stellar law student at Howard University, and, as a lawyer, a one-man weapon against the discriminatory laws against black Americans. After only two years at the NAACP, he was their top lawyer and had earned himself the nickname Mr. Civil Rights. He argued--and won--cases before the Supreme Court, including one of the most important cases in American history- Brown v Board of Education . And he became the first black U.S. Supreme Court Justice in history.
Like its subject, here is a biography that crackles with energy and intensity--a great introduction to a great man.
A Washington Post Best Book of the Year
A Bank Street Best Book of the Year
A Booklist Youth Editor's Choice Selection
A Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature's Best Book
Author Notes
Children's author and illustrator Jonah Winter was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1962. He has created many popular books, including works about baseball and biographies of famous individuals including Frida Kahlo, Roberto Clemente, and Barack Obama.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Excellent storytelling in word and image unite in this essential biography of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall (1908--1993). In percussive text that combines the pacing of a courtroom recital with plainspoken accessibility, Winter covers essential anecdotes in Marshall's life, including his arrest as a 15-year-old for defending himself from a bigot and his rejection from the University of Maryland. These hammer home the realities of existence in a segregated U.S., and the injustices Marshall saw and fought in the great, ongoing battles for a fair and just society. Repeated capitalized words (Fact, Justice, Verdict) punctuate "the facts of his case," building narrative urgency that carries through Marshall's win in Brown v. Board of Education and culminates in his ascent to Supreme Court justice. Collier's watercolor collages with subtly visible seams reflect the deep complexities of lives shaped by a fractured society, representing multifaceted experience, deep emotion, and irresistible forward motion. The author's note states that this short volume "cannot possibly convey the magnitude of his legacy." But Winter and Collier have created a catalyst that will inspire readers to learn more about this giant of American history. Ages 5--9. (Sept.)
Horn Book Review
Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993)-who grew up to "change the law of the land"-was a skilled debater and orator from a young age. In engaging and accessible prose, Winter presents the facts of Marshall's life as if presenting a case in court. Repeated words-"FACT" and "VERDICT"; "JUSTICE" and "INJUSTICE"-mark defining moments ("FACT: In the Deep South, most whites sitting in courtrooms had never even seen a black lawyer"); while the incorporation of vernacular phrases ("yeah, right"; "darn right he was scared") creates a more conversational tone. To bolster the evidence for his case, Winter shows how Marshall was largely influenced by his father, who encouraged the young Thurgood to participate in legal discourse as a way to combat corruption and unfair practices. As a young lawyer, Marshall sharpened his hurt and disgust about unjust laws into irrefutable evidence to prove that separate is not equal in cases across the country, even though taking these cases put his life at risk. Years later, he continued to break new ground by becoming the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court ("JUSTICE"). Collier's illustrations, rendered in watercolor and collage in shades of tan, green, and gray, set the scenes and enliven the historic material. The sometimes shadowy art reflects the violence and chaos that permeated Marshall's everyday life. There are no source notes, but an author's note presents a brief summary of Marshall's life and career. Maija Meadows Hasegawa November/December 2019 p.122(c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Was Thurgood Marshall a born lawyer? Well, six-year-old Thoroughgood made a strong enough case to convince his parents to legally change his name to Thurgood. Growing up in 1920s Baltimore, he attended segregated schools and experienced racial injustice. But his father took him to courtrooms to watch trials and, at home, challenged his son to argue positions and back them up with facts. Later, as a lawyer, Marshall would channel his anger at injustice into well-honed arguments in the courtroom, where he overturned legal precedents and won 29 cases before the Supreme Court, including Brown v. Board of Education. The book concludes with him becoming America's first Black Supreme Court justice. By framing this biography as a series of facts and including inequitable practices endured by African Americans during the period, Winter sets a tone well suited to Marshall's life story. Personal anecdotes give the facts context as well as emotional resonance. Collier contributes a series of powerful watercolor-and-collage illustrations, creating dramatic effects sometimes in the expressions, body language, and gestures of people, but also through the dynamic use of form and color. An appended note offers additional biographical information about Thurgood Marshall and his monumental strides toward racial justice. A memorable portrait of a legal giant.--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2010 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4--When six-year-old Thurgood Marshall convinced his parents to legally change his name from Thoroughgood, his future as a lawyer seemed predestined. His father took him to trials to watch legal arguments and practiced the art of vociferous debate at the dinner table. There is a stark juxtaposition between Marshall's edifying upbringing and the society of pervasive and violent racism in which he came of age. Readers are easily able to understand how these two forces motivated Marshall to reach great legal heights. This impassioned picture book does not shy away from depicting the racism that shaped Marshall's life. Often these examples are preceded by the capitalized word "FACT" followed by information such as the conditions in segregated schools, or the fact that a young Thurgood could hear white cops beating black suspects in the police station across the street from his school, or that his father's forced subservience to white people provoked intense rage. Acts of segregation are labeled as "INJUSTICE," and every victory of Marshall's is proudly declared as "JUSTICE." Collier's dynamic illustrations perfectly complement the tone of Winter's narrative. His watercolor and collage artwork effectively captures moments of both adversity and triumph. The work as a whole is informative, inspiring, and exciting. VERDICT This is no carefully neutral biography: it is a fervent celebration of a man whose work improved the lives of millions of Americans. This stirring portrait of an American hero is recommended for first purchase.--Elizabeth Lovsin, Deerfield Public Library, IL
Kirkus Review
The life journey of the first African American to serve on the United States Supreme Court and the incidents that formed him. Thurgood Marshall grew up in segregated Baltimore, Maryland, with a family that encouraged him to stand for justice. Despite attending poor schools, he found a way to succeed. His father instilled in him a love of the law and encouraged him to argue like a lawyer during dinner conversations. His success in college meant he could go to law school, but the University of Maryland did not accept African American students. Instead, Marshall went to historically black Howard University, where he was mentored by civil rights lawyer Charles Houston. Marshall's first major legal case was against the law school that denied him a place, and his success brought him to the attention of the NAACP and ultimately led to his work on the groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education, which itself led to his appointment to the Supreme Court. This lively narrative serves as an introduction to the life of one of the country's important civil rights figures. Important facts in Marshall's life are effectively highlighted in an almost staccato fashion. The bold watercolor-and-collage illustrations, beginning with an enticing cover, capture and enhance the strong tone set by the words.A larger-than-life subject is neatly captured in text and images. (author's note, photos) (Picture book/biography. 5-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
