The Teacher's March! by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace is a historical nonfiction picture book about a event in the Civil Rights movement that is not often mentioned, (I admit that I don't remember ever hearing of it before.), the Teacher's March in Selma, Alabama. Prior to the more infamous events in Selma, Alabama, featuring MLK Jr., John Lewis, and so many other brave civil rights activists, the Reverend F.D. Reese, a science teacher as well as a minister, led a group of 104 school teachers on a march through Selma to the court house to ask to register to vote...again. While they were denied their right to register at that time, they were, notably, not arrested, which made an important step in the campaign to secure the right to vote for Black Americans.

This book not only relays the story of the March itself, but also gives historical context from both before and after the March, setting it in the greater framework of the Civil Rights movement. The authors include first hand perspectives from surviving witnesses they personally interviewed, including Reverend F.D. Reese himself. The story is easy to read, with a compelling narrative structure and striking acrylic on board illustrations. Several pages at the end of the book offer an author's note which includes further information and context, as well as present day photos of two of the surviving marchers, and black and white historical photos from Selma marches. There is also a concise timeline of events and a comprehensive bibliography citing books, personal interviews and visits, films and audio resources, websites, magazines, newspapers, and journals. A portion of the proceeds from this book are being donated to the historic church featured in this story and a STEAM academy in Selma.

"The teacher's didn't breathe a word . . . but you could hear courage in their leather shoes churning up the red dirt road."

Overall this was just a great read, highly recommended for the children in your life. While honest about the nature of the resistance the Black residents of Selma faced, the book does not include detailed enough descriptions of violence to distress most young readers. Instead, this book shows how everyone can contribute to making a positive difference and standing up for what is right, and sheds a light on one historical event, set within a greater historical context--neither of which should be forgotten.

Gorgeously illustrated nonfiction picture book about an important & often overlooked event in history. I loved the attention to detail, and also the fact the authors did extensive research interviewing the subjects of this book.

Imagine teaching your African American students that freedom and equal rights are guaranteed in the United States Constitution, but not for them. That was one of the dilemma's faced by science teacher Reverend R. B. Reese in 1965 Selma, Alabama. Selma was a segregated city and the white people there intended to keep it that way, and one of the ways they did it was by denying black citizens the right to vote.


But when Reverend Reese led marchers to the Selma courthouse to register to vote, they were stopped by Sheriff Clark and his white policemen wielding billy clubs and they didn't hesitate to use them. Realizing he needed a "triumphant idea" that would make the voices of the black citizens of Selma heard, Reverend Reese came up with the idea he needed - what if the teachers marched? After all, they were leaders, but would teachers march? Since judge had declared marching and talking about civil rights against the law in 1964, Selma's teachers might not be so willing to put themselves on the line.

How to convince the teachers to march anyway? After all, they could be arrested, go to jail, loose their jobs. Reverend Reese invited Dr. Martin Luther King Jr to come and speak to them.


After listening to Dr. King's inspiring talk, one hundred and four teachers signed up to march. Packing a sandwich and a toothbrush in case they were arrested, and led by Reverend Reese, the teachers marched to the courthouse and were twice repelled by Sheriff Clark and cops, but the teachers went back despite their bumps and bruises.

This time, the school superintendent came out, realized what it would mean to arrest so many teachers and next thing he knew, the police had put away their billy clubs and handcuffs: "Reverend Reese and his triumphant idea had gained a glorious victory".

Reverend Reese's marchers may not have been able to register to vote that day, but in 1965 the Voting Rights Act was passed and there were no one on the courthouse steps to stop black people of Selma from registering to vote and yes, in the next election, they voted Sheriff Clark out of office.

One of the interesting things about this nonfiction picture book for older readers is that the story, though basically focused on Reverend Reese, also shows the impact the teachers march had on one teacher, Too Sweet Parrish, and her 15-year-old daughter, Joyce, and to a lesser extent on Coach Lawrence Huggins. And the authors were fortunate enough to be able to interview Reverend Reese shortly before he passed away, as well as Joyce Parrish O'Neal and Coach Huggins to get first hand accounts of that day.

Though the Teachers March was a smaller, lesser known protest, the teachers showed so much courage and determination that they inspired others to march, too. And it shows how people can make a difference.

The book is well-written and well-researched. I find that the Wallace's always seems to make a complicated event more accessible to young readers, and more personal so kids really get a sense of what it was like to be present during the events they write about.

Charly Palmer's emotional illustrations are painted in bright, bold acrylic colors with thick brushstrokes, adding texture and depth to the text.

Be sure to read the Authors' Note in the back matter for more information about the Teachers March and the participants. You will also find a Timeline relating to the Voting Rights Movement, and a Selected Bibliography for further investigation.

You can download a very extensive and useful Educator's Guide HERE, courtesy of the publisher

Like most kids, my education surrounding the Civil Rights movement was limited to bus boycotts, sit-ins, and a little about Freedom marchers. This is the first I'd heard about teachers specifically marching. I had never considered the idea that teachers were considered influential community members and that for them to take a stand was a huge boon to the movement. Consider the risk they were taking. Teaching was one of a handful of good jobs available to people of color. To risk loosing that, knowing they would have very little employment opportunities if the pretest went badly, is huge. It's an important story to tell about an often overlooked part of history.

This nonfiction picture book tells the story of an early Civil Rights march that set the stage for future demonstrations. The text and illustrations are both vibrant and engaging, and because the story focuses on the experiences and emotions of people who were involved, it gives the reader a sense of how suspenseful, dangerous, and risky this undertaking was. This book also serves as a reminder that the Civil Rights Movement is not distant history, and helps readers see both how far we have come and how much further we still have to go.

Because this book has a lot of text, it is not ideal for picture book audiences. Younger children can experience this as a read-aloud once they have the attention span for it, but it is best suited for older elementary school or middle school readers. Parents should also be aware that even though the book has no graphic content, its suspense level and direct, unflinching acknowledgement of policy brutality could make this challenging for sensitive readers. Children who are younger, or who are very easily upset, would probably be best off reading this with an adult, especially if most of this information is new to them.

My only criticism of this book is that the ending is very abrupt. There is an author's note at the end to share more information and context, but the story cuts off so quickly that when I was reading my digital copy, I went back and thought that I had missed a page. I think that this book would have benefited from a better developed conclusion, but it is a great resource that makes history feel immediate and educates readers about an essential, little-known part of Civil Rights history.

A march in Selma, Alabama in 1965 to advocate for voter registration and civil rights was led by Reverend F.D. Reese, a teacher at a local segregated high school for Black students. This true story is a timely look at the act of protesting, describing how average people really can make a difference. The narrative is set down in several paragraphs per spread, but told in a way many children will understand when this is used as a classroom read-aloud. The text contains many quotations from Rev. Reese and other teachers who were interviewed for this book Dramatic full color acrylic on board paintings illustrate the narrative, similar in style to a picture book, featuring heavy brush strokes and clear facial expressions on the protagonists. The book concludes with a two-page detailed authors’ note on the research and interviews used for the book, photos of those involved, a timeline, and a long list of books and media used as sources.

This is a phenomenal book about the teachers march for voting rights. The timeline is easy to folllow and the narrative keeps the children engaged. This book is quite wordy, so I would recommend for kids in upper elementary and up.

An excellent look at an important part of Civil Rights history that is often overlooked. I particularly enjoy the style of the illustrations.

This is a really interesting book about an event I didn't know about! The Teachers March introduces us to the teachers of Selma, who risked their jobs to march for equal voting rights -- which were finally made official in 1965. Our country has a long way to go still, and that starts with listening and learning.

The Teachers March! is a powerful arrangement of word and image. Highly recommended for classroom use and reading for all ages. The content is relevant and well worth visiting again and again.

The Teachers March tells the story of the 1965 Teachers March for Black voting rights in Selma, Alabama. It is an excellent addition to a classroom or home library to teach about social justice, civil rights, and Black history. With simple text and colorful illustrations, it is a book that can spur a discussion about the 2020 election and Black Lives Matter movement, as well. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Advanced readers copy provided courtesy of #netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
This historical picture book is great. It is beautifully illustrated and tells an important story. It would be a good addition to a school library.