This is a great graphic novel for readers middle grade and up! It does a great job portraying the impact of Tommie Smith's protests and provided me with more information than I knew before picking up the novel!

Picked this book for the picture on the cover as it’s an iconic picture we all should recognise. Good artwork that teaches the reader.

4/5

Full review on No Flying No Tights - https://noflyingnotights.com/blog/2022/11/09/victory-stand-raising-my-fist-for-justice/
"Victory. Stand!: Raising my Fist for Justice is a notable addition to the graphic memoir genre. It is a definite purchase for my high school collection. Tommie Smith is an important voice from the Civil Rights Movement and I think this book will appeal to a broad range of readers."

Smith's memoir tells the story behind a photo most of us have seen but know precious little about. The book is reminiscent of the March trilogy in visual style, structure, and intent. Smith tells the full truth of his story, both the good and the bad. There is no sensationalism here, no glossing over things we'd rather not talk about. It's a straightforward, honest narrative. It's a book I found quite engrossing and would not hesitate to read it again or to recommend it to others.

This was a powerful and compelling story. The writing was clear and understandable. They chose experiences from Tommie Smith's life that helped me understand his challenges and his choices. The action was well-paced.
Once I started reading, it was hard to put down. The art and writing worked together seamlessly. This will be a great choice for reluctant readers and sports fans, as well as any teen or adult who wants to better understand integrity, honor, and personal courage.

NOTE: I had trouble with the digital ARC, so the review is based on the finished book.

The story of Tommie Smith and the 1968 Olympics was interesting especially since I didn’t know of his experiences and what he and his fellow athletes did for Civil Rights. This graphic novel is an overview or telling of who Tommie is, where he grew up, and his athletic career. The graphics are detailed and appropriate for the story. I would have liked more detail into his personal life or his feelings about his experiences after the silent protest, but the in-depth description of his family and childhood were needed to explain the man he became. I think students will find it interesting and will pick it off the shelf especially if they are interested in reading about Civil Rights and specific athletes during that time period.

This is a story most of my students will likely find unfamiliar, since many have a shocking unfamiliarity with history. I’ll likely buy this book even though I don’t know if they will read it.

First, I realize reading this via the Kindle app may leave a skewed perspective of the book. That’s all I have to based my opinion on though.

The story is good, but the artwork was disappointing. I’m afraid that will cost the story its readers. There is no colors and the artwork many students are now used to seeing in graphic novels is detailed and beautiful. This artwork seems to have many of the type of scenes repeatedly, I stuck with it, but I’m afraid reluctant readers will not.

This is a powerful graphic novel detailing the true events surrounding the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico City. Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the winner's podium and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, stripped of their medals, received death threats, and faced ostracism and economic hardships for years.

The graphic novel is bold and beautifully drawn, focusing on even the smallest details. It covers Tommie Smith's life growing up, attending, college, and the events at the Olympics. It also covers his life since the Olympics and the effect that this event had on his own life and those who witnessed it. An important story that I think teen readers will find interesting.

This was a good story, well told. I knew there had been some protesting surrounding the Olympics over the years, but this was a particular story I was not familiar with. I liked that it was deeply personal, while at the same time did a great job of expressing the context of the events described. I loved the art as well.

This is a very interesting and engaging read, and I really enjoyed it. I had of course seen the iconic photograph of the raised fists at the Olympics, but I admit I didn't really know anything about it, other than I always admired the courage and conviction of the athletes; it's such a powerful, inspiring image, how could I not? I enjoyed learning about Tommie Smith's life and experiences, and to see that historic moment through his eyes, thoughts, and emotions really brought home to me the importance of those 80 seconds. I definitely recommend this!

#VictoryStand #NetGalley

Great story! I loved how past and present were intertwined. Great to get to see Tommie’s progression from hard-working son of a sharecropper to Olympic athlete and activist.

✨ Review ✨ Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, Dawud Anyabwile

The image of Tommie Smith raising his fist at the Mexico. City Olympics in 1968 alongside his teammate John Carlos is iconic. I knew a bit of context about this moment, but this graphic novel memoir brilliantly provides a deeper contextualization of this within desegregating colleges and their athletic programs (especially around Smith's experience at San Jose State) and broader racial turmoil.

This graphic novel helped me better understand Smith's life -- first as a sharecropper in Texas as a child, then a farmworker in California, the graphic novel clearly shows the racism and struggles he faced in his youth. Written for teens, this book could also be used with middle schoolers and with college students to help discuss issues of race, education, and sports. The drawing and stark language is poignant and impactful and this book is really brilliantly crafted!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: graphic novel, memoir
Location: Texas, California, Mexico City
Pub Date: Out now

Read this if you like reading about:
⭕️ civil rights and struggles for racial justice
⭕️ iconic sports moments
⭕️ African American history
⭕️ the Olympics

Thanks to W. W. Norton & Company, Norton Young Readers and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book!

Tommie Smith’s graphic memoir is a must have for my middle and high school libraries. It will hold a strong appeal to students who enjoy reading about athletes, but who also care about civil rights. The deep backstory behind Tommie Smith raising his fist in the Olympic podium is so important. The backlash he received is still happening today. It is a reflection of the embedded racism in our culture and society. The book is well written and perfectly supported by the art. This book will be front and center in my graphic novel display.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Victory, Stand! is a fantastic visual and verbal combination and collaboration. I love Derrick and Dawud’s other work and it was great to see them working together in this. Highly recommended reading for youth.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC. Unfortunately, due to formatting, I was unable to read this. It looked like - on both my iPad and iPhone - that the text was jumbled and not in order. Looking forward to reading a hard copy of this when my library purchased it.

I didn't love everything about this book - the art and the constant referral to god and prayer got on my nerves - but overall, a real solid graphic memoir. Admittedly, this is not a story that I was super familiar with, and I really love that we got way more about the events of Tommie's live leading up to the event than the Olympics themselves.

In the space of his 19.83 second world-record setting Olympic victory, Dr. Tommie Smith’s graphic memoir takes readers on a journey through 100 years of Black history in America. From Reconstruction to the Civil Rights era, his experience reflects the shared reality of many who descended from enslaved Americans. Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice brings this historical narrative to life with incredibly detailed, visceral art.

Storytelling facilitates learning because stories make facts easier to remember. Young readers will benefit from Dr. Smith’s and Derrick Barnes’ narrative in Victory. Stand! as they gain an introduction to topics including the Great Migration, school integration, and the modern roots of inequality in America.

Dawud Anyabwile brings this story to life through crisp and multifaceted line art. Both major and background characters have distinctive styles that change throughout time and differentiate between race and class in a way that enhances the narrative. The strategic use of varying panel layouts and scenery details encourage readers to slow down and more deeply appreciate the graphic component of this memoir.

Readers of all ages will be fascinated learning more about world-record setting Olympic gold medalist Tommie Smith when Victory. Stand! is available this fall.

Reviewer note: Thank you NetGalley and Norton Young Readers for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

<p>In Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice</a>, Tommie Smith sees running as an opportunity whereas his family initially sees it as a distraction.  But for Tommie, running provides an escape and something to concentrate on despite the tumultuous era.  He also comments that he strove to be faster than his sister who was one of the fastest runners in the area.</p>

<p>When the family leaves the South and settles in Lemoore California, Tommie runs for Lemoore High School and finds success in several meets.  Tommie’s success at Lemoore High earns him a scholarship to San Jose State University.  At SJSU, Tommie sees major success in winning the Track and Field Championship in 1967 and begins to prepare for the Olympics where he knows he’ll have to race against teammate and friend John Carlos.</p>

The Olympics prove to be challenging but Tommie beats his teammate to win gold.  On the podium, Tommie and John Carlos raise their fist in support of worker's rights, equality for Black people everywhere, housing rights, and more. While many saw it as a show of solidarity, Olympic officials and the majority of Americans saw it as a disrespectful action.</p>

<p>The brutal aftermath of Smith’s journey after the Olympics is portrayed quite well in this book.  Despite his athletic accomplishments, both him and Carlos were not welcomed when they returned home.  The Olympic Committee suspended both runners and the public outcry was hard to ignore.  Smith eventually played briefly for the Cincinnati Bengals and then became the Athletic Director at Oberlin College.</p>

<p>Interspersed with colorful illustrations, Victory. Stand!: Raising My First for Justice</a> is a solid book that nicely sums up Smith’s career and provides context to the famous fist-raising incident at the Olympics.  Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice</a> tells Smith's story on his own terms to a new generation and inspires social action and community work. It shares Smith’s journey from the son of a farmer to an Olympic athlete and human rights activist that fits right in with readers aged 9-12.    </p>

The image of Tommie Smith and John Carlos, raising their fists at the 1968 Summer Olympics, is one that is recognized around the world. However, many of us do not know the story of Tommie Smith's life, nor all of the civil rights work that he contributed to prior to and after the Olympic Games. The graphic novel "Victory. Stand!" is an exceptional work of nonfiction and should be placed beside John Lewis' "March" on school and library bookshelves nationwide.

For fans of the March series, Victory. Stand! is an honest and breathtaking look into the history of Tommie Smith and Black athletes in America. As a teacher I am very likely to adopt this for my classroom and will be buying copies upon its publication. The characters are easy to connect with and real, and the story of Tommie Smith is essential knowledge for American children today.