John Lewis in the Lead

Review
By Library Media Connection

This well-written and inspirational biography covers the life of Congressman John Lewis starting from his childhood to the present day as an influential human rights leader. The folk art illustrations capture the severity and rigidity of both black and white people living in a restricted society, especially during the civil rights era. These pictures resonate with tenseness and pain and visually show the magnitude of the problems. Other pictures and events from Lewis’s life make clear that racism and separateness set the stage for misunderstanding, unwarranted violence, and hate crimes. The book is complemented by photos of important moments from Lewis’s life and accomplishments from different eras. This book skillfully shows why Lewis is such an important figure in history and how his work finally led to the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This book’s unique topic and presentation will appeal to youngsters. It ties together events in Lewis’s life to create an interesting and cohesive story of how lessons learned as a child helped him navigate through life as an adult.