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Step by Step!: How the Lincoln School Marchers Blazed a Trail to Justice
"Imagine you had to walk 600 miles to get fair treatment at school!" Twelve-year-old Joyce Clemons introduces a fictional memory book documenting the little-known true story of nineteen Black mothers, thirty-seven children, and their two-year march to integrate an Ohio elementary school.
Following the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, Black mothers in Hillsboro, OH, attempted to enroll their children at the all-white Webster School. However, the local school board refused the call for integration. Demanding equal education, a group of Black mothers and children marched to and from Webster daily-until Black students were admitted. In Step by Step!, New York Times bestselling author Debbie Rigaud and coauthor Carlotta Penn thoughtfully capture the voice of a young activist and emphasize the power of Black mothers' leadership. Nysha Lilly's expressive illustrations, with historical primary sources interspersed throughout, immerse readers in the Lincoln School Marchers' fight. Rigaud and Penn simultaneously convey the challenges the marchers faced with the uplifting joy of a united community, encouraging readers to "keep on marching" for justice.
Step by Step! is a collaboration between Ohio nonprofit organization Ohio Humanities, Daydreamers Press, and a small group of Lincoln School alumni who resolved to share their story with the world.
Following the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, Black mothers in Hillsboro, OH, attempted to enroll their children at the all-white Webster School. However, the local school board refused the call for integration. Demanding equal education, a group of Black mothers and children marched to and from Webster daily-until Black students were admitted. In Step by Step!, New York Times bestselling author Debbie Rigaud and coauthor Carlotta Penn thoughtfully capture the voice of a young activist and emphasize the power of Black mothers' leadership. Nysha Lilly's expressive illustrations, with historical primary sources interspersed throughout, immerse readers in the Lincoln School Marchers' fight. Rigaud and Penn simultaneously convey the challenges the marchers faced with the uplifting joy of a united community, encouraging readers to "keep on marching" for justice.
Step by Step! is a collaboration between Ohio nonprofit organization Ohio Humanities, Daydreamers Press, and a small group of Lincoln School alumni who resolved to share their story with the world.
45 pages, Paperback
Published November 3, 2023
8 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Rigaud
19 books218 followersStoryteller/Jersey Girl Debbie Rigaud is the author of YA coming-of-age romcoms TRULY MADLY ROYALLY (2019), SIMONE BREAKS ALL THE RULES (2021) and A GIRL'S GUIDE TO LOVE & MAGIC (August 2022). Her illustrated chapter books offerings include Alyssa Milano's HOPE series (2019-2021), THE SOUND OF MAGIC (2022) and the forthcoming second book of the BEST WISHES series (2023). Look out for her debut picture book, SEBASTIAN THE LITTLEST FOOD CRITIC, coming in 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 14, 2024
An amazing story of courage and perseverance! Imagine having to fight for a right SCOTUS has already given you - and being told no! The mothers and children who walked everyday just to go to school is a story that all Americans should be much more familiar with! Actually would like to see a statue of this on the site. Very moving and inspirational!
January 18, 2024
One of my students this year is Mrs. Hackney’s great-granddaughter! She is the white Quaker woman who taught the black students in Hillsboro.
November 17, 2023
This is a beautiful book with an important message. The illustrations, with their lovely color palette, drew my daughter into the story. The illustrations are interspersed with historical photographs and newspapers, and she loved that some of the pictures are "real." The story, about a young girl's role in fighting for school integration, sparked a great conversation. I am donating a copy to my daughter's school. This book deserves a place on the shelf in every school and library.
June 15, 2024
This fictionalized scrapbook of a group of students who marched for their right to attend a segregated school in Ohio.
The backmatter includes 2 pages of the 19 mothers who were instrumental in driving this group, an author's note about the march, a note from the illustrator, a note from the OH Humanities Council, a timeline, a current photo of several Lincoln School Marchers (as adults), a list of marchers. There is no verification/documentation for the quotes that appear in the book (I recall the author's note stating it was largely oral history used for the story), a bibliography of adult books, magazines, and a website consulted, and photo credits.
Artwork by Nypha Lilly (also from Ohio) is primitive and feels untrained as it is muddy-looking and poorly laid out on the page. It includes newspaper clippings, photos, drawings, Post-It Notes with messages on them. There does not appear to be a focus for each two-page spread. The text in the boxes feels choppy when reading it. Some of the boxes have captions, others none. The font used has a heavy top line in only the capital "D", making it feel top heavy and out of place.
Due to book layout, this will be a difficult book to share with a group of students and will be more useful in a one-to-one situation.
This ends up more like an homage to the mothers than to the students and suffers from poor book design.
Optional purchase for units on segregation, Ohio school stories, and diversity for grades 3-5.
The backmatter includes 2 pages of the 19 mothers who were instrumental in driving this group, an author's note about the march, a note from the illustrator, a note from the OH Humanities Council, a timeline, a current photo of several Lincoln School Marchers (as adults), a list of marchers. There is no verification/documentation for the quotes that appear in the book (I recall the author's note stating it was largely oral history used for the story), a bibliography of adult books, magazines, and a website consulted, and photo credits.
Artwork by Nypha Lilly (also from Ohio) is primitive and feels untrained as it is muddy-looking and poorly laid out on the page. It includes newspaper clippings, photos, drawings, Post-It Notes with messages on them. There does not appear to be a focus for each two-page spread. The text in the boxes feels choppy when reading it. Some of the boxes have captions, others none. The font used has a heavy top line in only the capital "D", making it feel top heavy and out of place.
Due to book layout, this will be a difficult book to share with a group of students and will be more useful in a one-to-one situation.
This ends up more like an homage to the mothers than to the students and suffers from poor book design.
Optional purchase for units on segregation, Ohio school stories, and diversity for grades 3-5.
November 20, 2023
A wonderful book about an important piece of American Civil Rights history. The images are beautiful and the writing so creative. A great way for multi generational audiences to learn about this story!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews