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RESIST! A Visual History of Protest

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Like the silk map slipped from parachutist Franklin McMahon's sleeve offering escape from the German P.O.W. camp, daughter and author Margot, describes the astonishing world then flung upon him from 1945-2012. Her evocative words startle the reader to life, as we follow Franklin and Irene parents to a family of nine, immersed in a lifetime of struggle for social justice! They provoke us to confront truth via vivid pencil drawings, historic voice, faith and film in order to Resist and What have you done today for justice? --Kathleen Osberger, L.C.S.W., Chicago community organizer, activist and therapist
The true story of the later years of Franklin McMahon, artist-reporter for many powerful moments in U.S. History, from the Emmett Till Trial to the Apollo missions. McMahon was a WWII Army Air Corps veteran and former prisoner of war in Germany who made it back home to Chicago to his sweetheart Irene. McMahon became an award-winning presidential artist, among numerous additional honors. This book is the final in a series by Franklin's daughter, Margot McMahon. This book is part of the RESIST! exhibitions in museums nationwide.

50 pages, Paperback

Published December 13, 2022

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Margot McMahon

10 books6 followers

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Profile Image for Dawnny.
Author 2 books94 followers
January 20, 2023
This is a visual arts book with fifty years of Franklin McMahon paintings of protest. From WWII POW camps, the 1955 Emmett Hill trial, the construction of the Berlin Wall and many other historical events. The author shows us how she learned from her father Frank, an art journalist for national magazines, television and film. The book documents historical events and social change. As an art and history buff I loved all the photos and reading about different historical events. This was interesting I learned many things reading it.


Dawnny Ruby
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY
1,307 reviews42 followers
March 6, 2023
Sometimes small books can make a big impact and Resist was one of those books. Resist is a book that the author wrote as a remembrance of her father and his very important work.
Margot writes about her father Franklin McMahon’s life and how he served others. Inside you’ll find pictures of his original artwork and stories from important times in our history. The book covers social justice struggles, the building of the Berlin wall, Martin Luther King, the Iraq War, and so much more. I’ve heard of all of the events but I feel like I learned so much.
Resist is well written and anyone who wants to read about stories that impacted our history should pick up this book. #resist #historicalevents #standforsomething
Profile Image for Lisa Albright.
2,064 reviews73 followers
January 29, 2023
This book is a beautiful tribute to the works of a courageous man by his daughter. His pencil drawings capture the unrest of the times and draw attention to the fight for justice. The essays the author, Margot, has written accompany the illustrations with the actions her father took and are enlightening and emotional to read. I will treasure this work of art and history.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Lisa.
Author 31 books174 followers
January 22, 2023
“Stop examining your belly button…get out there and make a change!” was William Franklin “Mac” McMahon’s lasting advice to all of us. Mac’s daughter, sculpturer Margot McMahon, devotedly shares decades of his work to make a difference in social justice across our world.
Through these short pages, Margot portrays her father as a POW in WWII, a family man, a reporter and an artist who became dedicated to the cause of creating a better society. The book opens as Mac is taken prisoner in Germany during his Army Air Corps service in World War II, missing one boot. Margot shares the story of his resolve to say nothing during the frequent interrogations. With his imagination to keep him company, Mac spent time “mind drawing” his surroundings: “ Insights into gestures and expressions kept him observing intently. The drawing gave a purpose to this unearthly hell.” Later in Stalag III he was able to draw with donated YMCA art supplies and was even able to send ideas for cartoons back to a Chicago magazine. He also met Tuskegee Airmen survivors.
We move next to the 1950s where McMahon has press credentials from Life Magazine as a reporter and cartoonist/artist. He’s in Mississippi to cover the Emmett Till trial, with copy and art. Mac’s daughter recounts her father’s emotions and doodles during the brief atrocity dangerously called a trial. A brief sentence sums up the disposition of the community: At the coffee shop door they (reporters) were surrounded, closely, by a few white male citizens, “You Northerners go back home and leave us Sumner folks alone.”
That trial and article showed McMahon “that art could effectuate social change.” In the next decade, the author takes her place around the family table, as seventh of nine children, growing up the 1960s. Conversation was lively with her journalist father and Irene, her mother, who was also an author. The turbulence of social justice protests during this time—women’s rights, worker’s rights, racial justice, gay rights, all were freely discussed. The McMahons encouraged the family to learn about world news, raise questions about politics and culture, all spurring Margaret to use her talent and carry on speaking out for change of inward and small-thinking injustices around the world. Franklin McMahon continued to capture the times in his art, and with his wife Irene, created award-winning films.
In 1995, at the age of seventy-five, McMahon participated in the Million Man march at the National Mall in Washington D.C. to protest systemic racism and call for revitalization of communities of color. Franklin McMahon passed in 2012 at the age of 90, having left a legacy of encouragement toward social justice. In his eulogy, Margot said, “With his art, he illumed awareness to nudge the world in a fairer direction, watched the change erase justice with presidential strokes of a pen and captured the protests again as people took to the streets with handmade signs to express their rights and wrongs.”
This powerful short book is filled with the late McMahon’s art and advice, the story of what it’s like to fight for a change both on the world stage and in our own neighborhoods. The book a good read for discussion; it’s an actionable book for families, for book clubs, and anyone who wants to see conscionable shifts in action and learn where to take a stand themselves.
Profile Image for Chelsie.
1,642 reviews
February 5, 2023
This is one to keep on the coffee table for a conversation piece! I really love historical novels and this was an interesting look into the life of an actual artist who captured some of the biggest historical events over the last century and his first hand experience of them. I loved how the book was put together with some of his most interesting sketches and drawings with some insight into his side of what he saw while he was doing what he enjoyed, being an artist as documentarian. Mac's piece are not just art, but they tell a story and the truth of what was happening at that time. I recommend also reading her memoir, If Trees Could Talk in this is a deeper dive into the life of her father Franklin and how it was growing up with her father, an artist chasing history in the making. Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite and to the author for the free book. I love that you are willing to share your fathers legacy with us readers.
Profile Image for Debbie Rozier.
1,508 reviews97 followers
January 26, 2023
This nonfiction book may come in at under 50 pages, but it is a powerful read.

Using works from eyewitness artist, Franklin McMahon (Mac), Margot (Mac’s daughter),tells about Mac’s drawings over his 50 year career.

She shares not only Mac’s experiences but also gives us her own perspectives on her family’s interesting life.

This is a wonderful combination of history, art, biography, and memoir.

The drawings captivated me and took me back into each work’s moment in history.

The text gave insider information into what was happening during each of the events.
Profile Image for Christy Taylor.
1,321 reviews56 followers
February 2, 2023
It was naive on my part but I didn't realize that prior to photographers there were eyewitness artists who drew images of important events in history. I first learned of this when reading Margot McMahon's memoir, If Trees Could Talk and was excited to take a deeper dive into her father's incredible work in Resist. Franklin McMahon's impressive career spanned 50 years and it was fascinating to see some of his work and read more about the events he covered. I found the essays that Margot wrote to accompany the drawings enlightening and the combination was powerful.
Profile Image for Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff).
2,950 reviews106 followers
February 4, 2023
Not only is this a daughter’s beautiful tribute to her father’s work, but it is a walk through history. Margot McMahon shares the legacy of her father’s art and his drive for activism and justice. Within her essays, you can sense how he has left indelible fingerprints on her life. My favorite quote from Franklin was, “𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘰𝘯. 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦! 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.”



Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @margotmcmahon for a spot on tour and a gifted copy.
Profile Image for Miss W Book Reviews.
1,955 reviews163 followers
February 7, 2023
RESIST! A Visual History of Protest is a short nonfiction picture book depicting historical events throughout history.

The author, Margot McMahon pays tribute to her father, William Franklin "Mac" McMahon.

I love Mac's advice to his daughter "Stop examining your belly button, get out there and make a change!"

This book shows Mac's paintings of protest. I really enjoyed this book.

It was informative and educational. The pictures were captivating.
Profile Image for Booksandcoffeemx.
2,643 reviews164 followers
February 15, 2023
𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵-𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨!

What a fantastic and fascinating book, a daughter and a father come together in this unique memoir and walk through some important historical events over the last century. I loved reading every page and admiring the art in it!

Thank yoy Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁! 𝗔 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 by Margot McMahon Collection released December 17, 2022.

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews