We've Got a Job by Cynthia Levinson

Levinson, C. (2012). We've got a job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree Publishers.

Almost 4000 African American children stepped up in a historic way to help the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham, and many of that number were jailed for their efforts.  The young people who participated in the Birmingham Children’s March were able to push along changes with the repeal of Birmingham’s Segregation Ordinances taking place just two months later.  Of course, segregation, prejudice, and issues of race did not disappear, but the actions of these young people drew national attention to the issues.  The account of this pivotal moment in history  is focused on four of those who marched and were jailed as well as the influential adults on both sides of the conflict. 

            

The author interviewed participants in the Children’s March and focuses on their remembrances to depict the events.  The story is simultaneously personal and universal.  The narrative is interspersed with black and white photographs, and many pages feature sidebars on highlighted topics.  Although the chapters and sections have clear and frequent headings that would allow readers to browse through, the compelling descriptions and flow of the text demand a thorough, linear reading. 

            

An afterword allows readers to learn more about the later lives of the four activists featured in the book. The volume is appended by a timeline, map, and thorough notes and documentation of the account allowing readers opportunities for further exploration of this topic.