#9 - March: Book One by Andrew Aydin and John Lewis

 Just The Basics

    Published: August 13, 2013

    Genre: Graphic Novel, Memoir

    Pages: 128 Pages

    Acknowledgements: CSK Book Awards - Author - Honor 2014

    "March" is a graphic-novel memoir capturing the life of civil rights activist and congressman John Lewis. Framed by Lewis's speech at Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009, March: Book One focuses on Lewis's upbringing in rural Alabama, his journey through school, and finally his participation in the Nashville lunch-counter sit-ins in the early 1960s. Robert "Bob" Lewis narrates, while the astounding black-and-white artwork (illustrated by Nate Powell) makes every moment drip with the darkness of segregated America, shaded in dark ink pen. Lewis's retrospective paints a picture of historical importance for his life. He repeatedly talks of the "spirit of history", which weilds the winds of fate, connecting John Lewis to his destined meetings with Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, and Jim Lawson. The forces of spirituality and the promise of nonviolent rebellion propel Lewis into his role in the civil rights movement, but also propel the readers with a sense of grave importance as Black Americans fight for equal rights in a tumultuous time in American history. 

    Why "March: Book One"?

    I was really interested in reading this first volume of the March trilogy. In school, I learned about the comic "Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story", and felt like it was fitting for Lewis to continue the tradition of using visual storytelling to communicate the importance of the civil rights movement to young readers. The art of March was the most interesting. I was instantly floored by Powell's illustrations, and was itching to read this graphic novel before I got it from the library. I think it's of utmost importance to enshrine civil rights leaders in media that is contemporary enough for a younger audience to fully engage and understand. I was reminded of Art Spiegelman's Maus when choosing to read March. To me, there is power in a graphic novel to marry art and history in a way that helps transfer difficult parts of history to young readers. 

     Teaching Considerations

     I think March: Book One would be a great introductory or hook text for a unit on the civil rights era. In terms of prose, this book is not hard to read. All graphic novels are good, accessible texts (because students assume they will do less reading, even though when I teach with a lot of visual analysis). However, the story of March starts with John Lewis's childhood, allowing the reader to understand who he is before explaining the Social Gospel, what nonviolence is, or who he was as a person before meeting other important confidants. There should be a note here that there is prolific use of racial slurs in this book; these are purposefully employed to reflect the reality of this time period. However, I don't think this book would be inappropriate for younger high school-aged kids, and could easily work for anywhere from 9th to 12th grade. Aydin and Lewis's work is impactful, even in one volume, and I believe this book would be a versatile choice for whole-class analysis, individual reading, or as a hook mentor text before looking at other documents about the civil rights era. 

`      Sections to Read Aloud & Reasoning

1. Page 75-79

    The above portion of the book is from when Lewis first attends a nonviolence workshop conducted by Jim Lawson. This is where Lewis is affirmed, and even goes as far as to have a revelation that nonviolence is the best way to gain equal rights for Black Americans. What is so powerful from this selection is the dark shading, often used to make great emphasis against the white backgrounds of the other pages, while also connecting Lewis's ideology to that of Gandhi. These pages clearly express in both visuals and words 

        2. Pages 90-95

    This is my favorite panel from March: Book 1, and is when the Woolworth's lunch counter closes and turns off the lights on Lewis and the other sit-in protesters. Pages 90-95 are when the sit-ins fully begin in earnest, and the power of these panels really sells the importance of this movement. This section would be a great introduction to students. The shading, the eye light, and the composition of this panel above sold me on this graphic novel. 

    Overall Thoughts

        March: Book One is powerful, historic, charming, and a wonderful part of John Lewis's legacy. I was not very familiar with Lewis's personal life; however, this book made his rise to speaker at the Million Man March, and his election to Congress really feel like progress for Black Americans. Even though he is the co-author of this work, this book doesn't feel self-aggrandizing, simply important. The "spirit of history" is a clear driving force in Lewis's life. This book was a fast read, both because of its thematic importance in American history and its impressive design. There are many scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., however, he is never portrayed as some god-like figure, but a man, a mentor, and a friend to Lewis. Rosa Parks is also treated as a dear friend, her accomplishments an important background detail to Lewis's life, again, not due to unimportance but for thematic continuity and careful storytelling. I really liked this book; every part seemed fruitful for students to explore. 

    Future Explorations

     I am for sure reading the rest of this trilogy, and I'm sure it won't take me long. I have now read three graphic novels for my YA list, and as much as I loved Homebody, I am most impressed with March: Book One. I was disappointed when I was done reading, as I felt the story was just getting going. John Lewis and Andrew Aydin craft a memoir that is instantly memorable. I want to find a way to weave this book into my classroom, even though I feel like March is almost definitely being read in social studies classrooms in my district. I think historical fiction and memoir have been great subgenres for graphic novels, and when making my way through this list, have become some of the most fun YA literature works to read.