Let Us March On!: James Weldon Johnson and the Silent Protest Parade

(Hardback)

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A moving and inspiring nonfiction picture book about James Weldon Johnson and the first mass all-Black march for civil rights in the United States when 10,000 Black protestors, including children, marched down New Yorks Fifth Avenue.

James Weldon Johnson was a man of words. He wrote Lift Every Voice and Sing, a poem so uplifting and inspiring it became known as the Black national anthem. James was also a leader of the NAACP, and many people turned to him for advice in troubling times. And then was one of those times. White people were hurting Black people in scary and shocking ways.

Let us march, James said, in New York City. A big protest on the biggest avenue in the biggest city in the country. And, he said, lets make it a silent march. Because sometimes silence can be more powerful than screaming and shouting.

In July 1917, James helped lead thousands of children and adults in the Silent Protest Parade as they marched down Fifth Avenue in New York City. Today, the parade stands as an inspiring reminder of the power of protest in all forms, and the power and resilience of young people in the face of ongoing racial hatred and violence.

Author Bio

Yohuru Williamsis the distinguished university chair and professor of history and founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. The former chief historian of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, he appeared in Ken BurnssJackie Robinsonand with Michael G. Long coauthoredCall Him Jack: The Story of Jackie Robinson, Black Freedom Fighter. He is the author of numerous books, includingTeaching Beyond the Textbook.

Michael G. Longhas a PhD from Emory University and is the author or editor of numerous books on nonviolent protest, civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, politics, and religion. He coauthoredCall Him Jack: The Story of Jackie Robinson, Black Freedom Fighterwith Yohuru Williams. His other acclaimed books includeUnstoppable: How Bayard Rustin Organized the 1963 March on WashingtonandTroublemaker for Justice: The Story of Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the March on Washington. He also served as an expert historian for Ken Burnss documentaryJackie Robinson. He lives in Pennsylvania with his family.

Xia Gordongraduated from the School of Visual Arts with a BFA in cartooning and illustration. She is the illustrator ofA Song for Gwendolyn Brooksby Alice Faye Duncan andLet Us March On!byYohuru Williamsand Michael G. Longand has worked with clients such asThe New York Times,BuzzFeed,Lenny Letter, andNarratively. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her at XiaGordon.com.