Mayer, Robert H.

"The killing of Emmett Till is . . . remembered . . . as one of the . . . examples of lynchings in America. African American children in 1955 personally felt the terror of his murder. These children, however, would rise up against the culture that made Till's death possible. From the violent Woolworth's lunch-counter sit-ins in Jackson to the school walkouts of McComb, the young people of Mississippi picketed, boycotted, organized, spoke out, and marched, working to reveal the vulnerability of black bodies and the ugly nature of the world they lived in. These children changed that world. [This book] weaves together the . . . tales of those young women and men of Mississippi, figures like Brenda Travis, the Ladner sisters, and Sam Block who risked their lives to face down vicious Jim Crow segregation. Readers also discover the adults who guided the young people, elders including Medgar Evers, Robert Moses, and Fannie Lou Hamer. This . . . book of history for young adults from . . . author Robert H. Mayer is a . . . portrayal of life in the segregated South and the bravery of young people who fought that system. As the United States still reckons with racism and inequality, the activists working In the Name of Emmett Till can serve as models of activism for young people"--Provided by publisher.

Contains fifteen primary and secondary source documents that provide insights into the Civil Rights Act of 1964, covering the debate among politicians and citizens over the legislation, and assessing the act's passage and legacy. Includes a chronology.

Chronicles the civil rights movement in Birmingham, Alabama, the leaders of the movement, and how the children helped in the fight to end segregation in the South.