Publishers Weekly
12/13/2021
In this stirring profile, the mother-son author-illustrator team center Mary Lucille Hamilton (1935–2002), a Black civil rights activist and educator whose 1964 Supreme Court case, Hamilton v. Alabama, ensured that people of color would be addressed by courtesy titles and last names in court, like their white counterparts. Carole Boston Weatherford provides unflinching narration of Hamilton’s “fiery spirit” and nonviolent resistance: “Mary had news for that judge. She was not afraid to fight in court for what’s right. With NAACP lawyers on her side, she fought the contempt charge all the way to the United States Supreme Court.” Collages made of photographs and fine-lined sketches on scratchboard by Jeffery Boston Weatherford, combined with boldly graphical book design, give the picture book a cinematic quality, placing due emphasis on Miss Hamilton’s landmark case. Back matter features a note on names, a timeline with photographs, and further reading. Ages 7–11. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
"Weatherford introduces young readers to this lesser-known changemaker who challenged the court system for due respect. . . . Lending to this powerful story is mixed-media artwork that blends expressive black-and-white scratchboard illustrations with tinted photos from the time period."—starred, Booklist
School Library Journal
02/01/2022
Gr 2–4—Mary Hamilton was a devoted activist in the Civil Rights Movement, a freedom rider and the first woman to head the southern region of CORE, the Congress of Racial Equality. She was repeatedly arrested for her activism, and she insisted that jailers, court figures, and elected officials refer to her as Miss Hamilton, giving her the honorific typically denied to African Americans at the time. When she refused to answer a prosecutor who used only her first name, a judge held Hamilton in contempt of court. Her appeal went to the Supreme Court, where the justices ruled that all individuals, regardless of race, deserve to be addressed with respect in court. Weatherford's free verse powerfully and concisely conveys the realities of racism and the threats faced by Hamilton and other activists. The quality and appeal of the book is complicated by the artwork. The digital scratch board illustrations are unique and effective when depicting scenes such as the Supreme Court Building, or details of items like a tea table, but less so in close portraiture of Hamilton and other people. The technique leaves lines scratched across the subjects' skin and frequently results in uneven facial features, which may be stylistically distracting for literal-minded children. The illustrations are collaged with photographs, which add an appropriate sense of realism and immediacy. VERDICT Hamilton's inspiring story has not been the focus of any other book, and for that fact alone it is deserving of shelf space. This evocative and informative story of an unsung heroine is recommended for general purchase.—Elizabeth Lovsin
JUNE 2022 - AudioFile
A chorus of stringed instruments accompanies narrator Adenrele Ojo as she introduces young listeners to the life of Mary Hamilton, an African-American civil rights activist. Miss Hamilton was routinely arrested while protesting in the early 1960s. During the various legal processes, she refused to respond when referred to by her first name only, setting the stage for the Supreme Court case Hamilton v. Alabama. Miss Hamilton’s case upheld the right of Blacks to the same courtesies as whites with regard to forms of address during legal processes. Ojo offers listeners an impeccably paced and forthright performance combined with a musical score that suggests the conflict of the Civil Rights movement and reflects Miss Hamilton’s success in establishing dignified civil discourse for all in our justice system. A.K.R. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2022-01-12
Young readers are introduced to the inspiring life of lesser-known civil rights leader Mary Hamilton.
Weatherford recounts that as a child, Mary had a “fighting spirit” and proudly embraced her African American identity despite the fact that her “skin was so light, she could have been mistaken for white.” She grew up to attend a genteel all-girls college where she learned that addressing people by their proper titles was “a sign of COURTESY AND RESPECT,” and she pursued a teaching career. Hamilton became the first woman head of the Congress of Racial Equality’s Southern region and was frequently arrested while participating in civil rights protests. When a White prosecutor referred to her as “Mary,” she insisted on being addressed by the honorific “Miss.” Charged with contempt of court, she took her case all the way to the Supreme Court, which ruled that all people should be entitled to the same respectful forms of address, regardless of race. Weatherford’s text is straightforward, unfolding the story in pithy, reportorial prose. Bold fonts and all-caps typography help emphasize the fierce moral urgency of the civil rights movement. With a combination of black-and-white photos (including a montage of portraits of Hamilton’s relatives) and scratchboard art, the book presents iconic, unvarnished images of the civil rights era and captures Hamilton’s bold determination. Fans of Weatherford’s Voices of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer (2015) will enjoy this visually interesting picture book. Backmatter includes a timeline of the civil rights movement.
Essential reading for teaching children about the importance of demanding equality and respect. (author's note, further reading) (Picture-book biography. 7-11)
