They Had a Dream: The Struggles of Four of the Most Influential Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, from Frederick Douglass to Marcus Garvey to Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X

(Hardback)

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The majority of the civil rights movement in the United States occurred in three stages. The first stage began with the slaves in America fighting for their freedom. Frederick Douglass was a key player from the very beginning. Born a slave, Douglass escaped and went on to become one of the most respected abolitionist leaders.

After the Civil War, freed slaves fought to overcome the still-prevailing prejudice and persecution. During this phase, Marcus Garvey led the Back to Africa movement, promoting Black Nationalism and black pride among the newly freed people.

And in the 1960s, a strong civil rights movement branched in two different directions. The first was headed by Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., who organized a powerful nonviolent civil disobedience movement to win equal rights through integration. Following a very different path, Malcolm X sought equal rights for blacks through violent confrontation and racial separation.

Together, these four men shaped the American civil rights movement. Racism is still a very relevant problem in our country today, and to better understand where we are now and how to make progress in the future, we must first understand where weve come from.

Reviews

"Engagingly written biographies of four civil rights leaders, mentioning the mistakes and the weaknessesas well as the strong moral sense, high purpose, and outstanding courageof each....An excellent resource."
Kirkus Reviews

"Absorbing...timely and persuasive."
Publishers Weekly

"Even though all were remarkable individuals, Archer takes into account their human frailties and depicts them as believable figures....Archer writes in a fluent, sophisticated, but readable style."
School Library Journal

"Simple enough for the most reluctant reader yet informative enough for everyone."
Book Report
"Engagingly written biographies of four civil rights leaders, mentioning the mistakes and the weaknessesas well as the strong moral sense, high purpose, and outstanding courageof each....An excellent resource."
Kirkus Reviews

"Absorbing...timely and persuasive."
Publishers Weekly

"Even though all were remarkable individuals, Archer takes into account their human frailties and depicts them as believable figures....Archer writes in a fluent, sophisticated, but readable style."
School Library Journal

"Simple enough for the most reluctant reader yet informative enough for everyone."
Book Report

Author Bio

Jules Archer was one of the most respected names in nonfiction for young people. During his lifetime he published over seventy books, which have been translated into twelve languages throughout the world. He lived in Scotts Valley, California, until his death in 2008.