What happened in the South during the 1950s and 1960s still affects our lives today. This insightful volume, introduced by Julian Bond, was developed as part of the Teaching Tolerance program at the Southern Poverty Law Center. In a format easily accessible to a wide range of readers, the book provides a brief history of blacks in the U. S., then discusses the civil-rights movement chronologically. Although the first part of the book does not cover any particular incident in depth--there is one five-sentence paragraph about Rosa Parks--the narrative unveils the history clearly and poignantly. Each double-page spread contains captioned black-and-white photos that will have significant impact on the reader. Perhaps the strongest part of the book is the last section, which describes the lives and deaths of 40 people, black and white, who were an integral part of the movement. Although many of those included are well known, others may be new names to most readers. See also Belinda Rochelle's Witnesses to Freedom, Young People Who Fought for Civil Rights reviewed in this issue. A civil-rights time line and a bibliography are appended. (Reviewed Nov. 1, 1993)

A clear-cut account of the civil-rights movement makes a creditable contribution to understanding this vital segment in the history of the United States. Pivotal events are highlighted, but what makes the book unique is its attention to lesser-known heroes, African-American and white, who lost their lives in the struggle for justice. Interesting, too, are Bond's introduction and a time line listing major civil-rights events. The black-and-white photographs are well chosen. Bib., ind.

From the director of education at the Southern Poverty Law Center, this book's original publisher (1989), a sympathetic account that brings these martyrs vividly to life. After some background on black history, Bullard concentrates on the period between the 1954 Supreme Court decision outlawing school segregation and King's assassination in 1968, including individual accounts of 40 people who lost their lives in the cause. Some were well-known (Evers; Chaney; Goodman and Schwerner), some not (Virgil Ware, Lt. Col. Lemuel Penn, Oneal Moore); some were activists, some bystanders; some white, but most African-American. Each lucid account, generously illustrated with b&w photos, describes the person's life and relationship to the movement with just the right amount of detail to sustain interest. An excellent photodocumentary resource. Civil-rights timeline; map; bibliography; index. (Nonfiction. 10+)"