Book Review: “This Promise of Change: One Girl’s Story in the Fight for School Equality” by Jo Ann Allen Boyce & Debbie Levy

“This Promise of Change: One Girl’s Story in the Fight for School Equality” by Jo Ann Allen Boyce & Debbie Levy (2019)

Genre: Non-Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical

Page Length: 320 pages (hardcover edition)

Synopsis:

In 1956, one year before federal troops escorted the Little Rock 9 into Central High School, fourteen year old Jo Ann Allen was one of twelve African-American students who broke the color barrier and integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee. At first things went smoothly for the Clinton 12, but then outside agitators interfered, pitting the townspeople against one another. Uneasiness turned into anger, and even the Clinton Twelve themselves wondered if the easier thing to do would be to go back to their old school. Jo Ann–clear-eyed, practical, tolerant, and popular among both black and white students—found herself called on as the spokesperson of the group. But what about just being a regular teen? This is the heartbreaking and relatable story of her four months thrust into the national spotlight and as a trailblazer in history. Based on original research and interviews and featuring backmatter with archival materials and notes from the authors on the co-writing process.

Review:

I usually have a difficult time reading books in verse, but there was something about the emotional and lyrical quality of the text that had me jump into the book headfirst. This Promise of Change is set when the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education ordered Clinton High School in Clinton, Tennessee, to desegregate. In 1956, 12 Black teenagers who became known as “The Clinton 12,” attended the first integrated public high school in the South. The book chronicles the student’s experience from the first-person point of view. Jo Ann Allen Boyce’s (one of the authors) viewpoint gives readers an eye-opening view of her raw experience.

Though beautifully written, the book is hard to digest at times, due to some of the semi-graphic content featured in the poems. Readers step into Jo Ann’s shows as she describes the neighborhood she grew up in, the transition to a new school, being ostracized by the school, and how her community was threatened with violence. Though it may be hard to read stories like Jo Ann’s are incredibly important for learning about our history. Though targeted to a middle-grade audience I think it a great for adults as well. Never did it try to glaze over smaller details, but the poems get the reader to understand the severity and horror that these students went through during their fight for equal rights.

I appreciated how the story added photos, newspaper clipping, and direct quotes within the narrative. I vaguely knew of “The Clinton 12” before reading this book but learned even more about their stories after finishing the book. It’s a powerful memoir that left an impact on me after I finished reading it.

Final Verdict: