The Split History of the Civil Rights Movement: A Perspectives Flip Book

Perspectives Flip Books

by Nadia Higgins

In the 1950s, a black man in the South was expected to lower his eyes when he passed a white man on the street. African-American and white citizens attended separate schools, restaurants, and parks. They were even buried in separate graveyards. That was how traditional Southern society had been for more than 300 years but times were changing. Civil rights workers were demanding equal rights for blacks. The nonviolent activists boycotted buses, flouted Jim Crow laws, staged marches, and filled up jails by the dozen. Meanwhile, the Klu Klux Klan and other white segregationists retaliated with their own protests, harsher laws, and increasingly violent attacks. The Split History of the Civil Rights Movement brings alive both sides of the civil rights movement. Learn about key figures and the strategies of the movement. Then flip the book for the lesser-known story of the segregationists and the motives that spurred their actions.

64 pages, Library Binding

First published November 1, 2014

About the author

Nadia Higgins is the author of 50-plus books for children. She also worked as an editor in the industry for almost ten years. Many of her books have a science bent, though she’s also written about pop stars, car art, and zombies.

Nadia's favorite part of being a writer is doing research. "I'm always looking for that vivid detail or off-the-wall fact," she says. Her books often use humor or fiction techniques to bring a nonfiction topic to life.

Besides writing, Nadia enjoys dancing, making soup, and doing puzzles. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two young daughters.

Reviews

[Kelsey Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through pictures, autobiographies and historical events we are able to learn the courage and strength it took to stand up for equality for everyone. In this story we learn of the non-violent movements taken by Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr and numerous other sit-in protests. However, on the flip side, you are also able to learn how this really was a split time period in America's history. We are able to see the retaliation and desperate measures taken by white activists during this time period. The book I decided to pair it with was The Lion Of Little Rock which shows that friendship has no color limits. After Marlee discovers her only friend Liz is an African American posing as a white girl, Marlee decides she will risk the wrath of the city to continue her friendship with Liz. In this book we see both the nonviolent movements made by Marlee and Liz to continue their friendship and the racism that occurs around them. Set in the same time period as the Split History of the Civil Rights Movement, we see two kids willing to tackle integration. I believe both books give good examples of the power that children can have in changing history as well.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy these Split History series since they provide two opposing perspectives on important issues. In this case, the book examines the Civil Rights Movement from the point of view of segregationists and politicians who took advantage of the fears of the voters in their towns and states and from the point of view of those who wanted to change the way things were done through voter registration drives and education. Although the accounts of the important protests, walks, and boycotts are brief, readers can use the text and photographs to get a sense of the place and time.