The acclaimed civil rights leader Mary Church Terrell (1863–1954) is brought vividly to life in this well researched and compelling biography. The daughter of an ex-slave, Terrell was considered the best-educated black woman of her time. She was the first African American member of the Washington, D.C., Board of Education, and a founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). But perhaps her greatest triumph was waging a successful battle—at the age of 90—to integrate Washington, D.C., restaurants, a campaign that touched off similar protests throughout the nation. Counting such noted leaders as Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and Ida B. Wells among her friends, Mary Church Terrell was an important and influential woman in the battle for integration.
Once again, Dennis and Judith Fradin have drawn an inspiring portrait of courage and determination in the face of intolerance and injustice. Endnotes, bibliography, index.
Judith Bloom Fradin collaborated with her husband, Dennis Brindell Fradin, on several award-winning books for young readers, including Ida B. Wells: Mother of the Civil Rights Movement and Fight On!: Mary Church Terrell's Battle for Integration. She lives in Evanston, Illinois.
"Period photographs, news clippings and more lend this inviting volume about an extraordinary leader a sense of immediacy." PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY Publishers Weekly
"inspiring story...enticing language...attractive...easy to read...visual appeal...effectively bring(s) the reader into her pursuit for equality." VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
"carefully researched, fascinating biography...a clear and compelling look at the social history of the time...rich historical context..inspiring" SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, STARRED REVIEW School Library Journal, Starred
"well-researched biography...Though most...people have never heard of...Terrell...her story is worth knowing...very readable and handsomely designed." BOOKLIST Booklist, ALA
"firsthand accounts...bring forward her voice and personality...black-and-white photos...(and) archival images...enhance the book throughout...Rightly emphasizing...triumph." THE HORN BOOK MAGAZINE Horn Book —
