Freedom Summer
by Deborah Wiles
Illustrated by Jerome Lagarique
Segregation, Friendship, Empathy
Racism isn’t about people far away from us. It is about individuals close to all of us. Following the lifting of segregation in 1964, two boys, one white, one black, who are good friends plan to go swimming in the town pool. They arrive to find that rather than integrate the pool the town has filled it in with cement.
Beautifully illustrated and written, the story is based on an actual event in the author’s life. It is suitable for upper elementary students.
Guiding Questions/Activities
Before reading
- Do you have a best friend?
- What are the qualities you look for in a friend?
- What do friends so together?
- How would you feel if your friend could do things and you weren’t allowed to just because you were different in some way?
After reading:
- How do you think each character felt when they saw the pool being destroyed? Did they feel the same?
- A hero is sometimes described as someone who does something courageous even though they are afraid inside. Who are the heroes in this story? Why do you think so?
- The characters in this story lived a generation ago? What things have changed since then. What things are still the same?
- Can you think of instances of discrimination that have happened recently?
- How is your life similar or different from that of the boys in this story. What can you do that would help you “see things through someone else’s eyes” when reading a historical book?
Follow up Activities
- Research the Civil Rights Movement
- Write biographies of civil rights leaders
- Consider having a Mix It Up at Lunch day at your school.
Awards
- Corretta Scott King Award
- Ezra Jack Keats Award
