My Thoughts:
This graphic novel is reminiscent of the three graphic novels by the late Senator John Lewis, March. Taking place in a similar time, Dr. Smith's childhood in poverty as the son of a sharecropper is interspersed with the lead up to the 1968 Olympics in Mexico where Smith and his teammate John Carlos stood on the winner's podium after their track victory and raised their gloved hand in protest as the American flag was raised. This is an iconic photo usually seen in college history books with Smith and Carlos sharing one pair of black leather gloves.
What needs to be learned from this book, and that is not talked about enough, is the backlash that these athletes received because of this silent protest. Although it is not true that their medals were stripped from them, when readers understand how these athletes were treated, then it is easier to understand why Kapaernick has never played in the NFL since his own silent protest. This is a great time for this graphic novel to come out. Despite our seeming lack of progress in social equity and anti racist movements, despite our overturning of rights and our continued segregated schools, we need to find hope in these stories that the fight continues.
From the Publisher:
On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, received death threats, and faced ostracism and continuing economic hardships.
In his first-ever memoir for young readers, Tommie Smith looks back on his childhood growing up in rural Texas through to his stellar athletic career, culminating in his historic victory and Olympic podium protest. Cowritten with Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient Derrick Barnes and illustrated with bold and muscular artwork from Emmy Award–winning illustrator Dawud Anyabwile, Victory. Stand! paints a stirring portrait of an iconic moment in Olympic history that still resonates today.
Black-and-white illustrations throughout
Author: Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes
Illustrator: Dawud Anyabwile
Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Pubication date: September 27, 2022
No comments:
Post a Comment