We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March

The inspiring story of the 1963 Birmingham Children's March as seen through the eyes of four young people at the center of the action.

The 1963 Birmingham Children's March was a turning point in American civil rights history. Black Americans had had enough of segregation and police brutality, but with their lives and jobs at stake, most adults were hesitant to protest the city's racist culture. So the fight for civil rights lay in the hands of children like Audrey Hendricks, Wash Booker, James Stewart, and Arnetta Streeter.

We've Got a Job tells the little-known story of the four thousand Black elementary, middle, and high school students who answered Dr. Martin Luther King's call to fill the jails. Between May 2 and May 11, 1963, these young people voluntarily went to jail, drawing national attention to the cause, helping bring about the repeal of segregation laws, and inspiring thousands of other young people to demand their rights.

Drawing on her extensive research and in-depth interviews with participants, award-winning author Cynthia Levinson recreates the events of the Birmingham Children's March from a new and very personal perspective. Archival photography and informational sidebars throughout. Back matter includes an afterword, author's note, timeline, map, and bibliography.

Author: Cynthia Levinson
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers
Published: 02/07/2012
Pages: 180
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.70lbs
Size: 9.40h x 9.00w x 0.70d
ISBN: 9781561456277
Audience: Young Adult

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 7.4
Point Value: 8
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 148812 / We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March


Award: Parents Choice Awards (Spring) (2008-Up) - Gold Medal Winner
Award: Volunteer State Book Awards - Nominee
Award: Grand Canyon Reader Award - Recommended
Award: Orbis Pictus Award - Honor Book
Award: Golden Kite - Honor Book
Award: Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens - Recommended
Award: Jane Addams Children's Book Award - Winner
Award: Volunteer State Book Awards - Nominee


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 01/02/2012 pg. 86
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/2012 pg. 2442
Booklist 02/01/2012 pg. 82
New York Times Book Review 02/19/2012 pg. 22
Horn Book Magazine 05/01/2012 pg. 115
School Library Journal 05/01/2012 pg. 130
Publishers Weekly Best Books 11/05/2012 pg. 41
Kirkus Best Children's Books 11/15/2012 pg. 67
SLJ's Best Books 12/01/2012 pg. 35
Booklist Ed Choice Youth 01/01/2013 pg. 11
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2012 pg. 126 - Superior,Well Above Average

About the Author
Levinson, Cynthia: - Cynthia Levinson holds degrees from Wellesley College and Harvard University and also attended the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. A former teacher and educational policy consultant and researcher, she is the author of the award-winning and critically-acclaimed We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March. She has also published articles in Appleseeds, Calliope, Cobblestone, Dig, Faces, and Odyssey.