Student Overjoyed to Receive a Book

I just want to tell you how grateful I am to have received my class set of Jeanne Theoharis’ book on Rosa Parks. Once again, we are doing a book study using The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks to introduce my sophomores to some of the history they will learn in APUSH.

One student said she was excited to get an actual book to read and not just printed copies or a short excerpt. My heart is full just thinking about how excited she is! In Houston ISD, students aren’t required to read novels or entire books, so many of them have not read a book thus far in high school.

Nelva Williamson. Photo by Angelica Flores.

This is the second year I am using Theoharis’ book as an end-of-the-year project. The girls are excited about not only having a project instead of a final exam, but also to learn about the Civil Rights Movement.

I am using the other book you provided as a class set — Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad by Matt Delmont — with my juniors to explore the impact of laws and the Constitution on African Americans. This includes case law to help them prepare for a course on Government next year.

Thank you to the staff of the Zinn Education Project for trusting and supporting educators and students, and for providing resources to teach truth.