Review by Booklist Review
Born in 1935, African American Mary Hamilton experienced many forms of racism, but she was also taught in college that using Miss, Mrs., or Mr. "was a sign of courtesy and respect." Employing short, accessible free verse, Weatherford introduces young readers to this lesser-known changemaker who challenged the court system for due respect. Following a brief look at Hamilton's early upbringing, the author focuses on Hamilton's activism in the civil rights movement. As a freedom rider and nonviolent protestor, she was arrested multiple times, and names became important to her, especially when white people called her and other Black Americans "out of their names," addressing them as "boy" or "auntie" and more offensive slurs. Names were most important to her, however, when a white prosecutor in Alabama refused to call her "Miss Hamilton." When she wouldn't respond, the judge held her in contempt of court. Undeterred, Hamilton fought her contempt charge all the way to the Supreme Court--and won! Because of the "Miss Mary Case," all white prosecutors and judges addressed African Americans as Miss, Mrs., or Mr. from then on. Lending to this powerful story is mixed-media artwork that blends expressive black-and-white scratchboard illustrations with tinted photos from the time period. An author's note and time line, including photos of Hamilton, complete the compelling biography.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this stirring profile, the mother-son author-illustrator team center Mary Lucille Hamilton (1935--2002), a Black civil rights activist and educator whose 1964 Supreme Court case, Hamilton v. Alabama, ensured that people of color would be addressed by courtesy titles and last names in court, like their white counterparts. Carole Boston Weatherford provides unflinching narration of Hamilton's "fiery spirit" and nonviolent resistance: "Mary had news for that judge. She was not afraid to fight in court for what's right. With NAACP lawyers on her side, she fought the contempt charge all the way to the United States Supreme Court." Collages made of photographs and fine-lined sketches on scratchboard by Jeffery Boston Weatherford, combined with boldly graphical book design, give the picture book a cinematic quality, placing due emphasis on Miss Hamilton's landmark case. Back matter features a note on names, a timeline with photographs, and further reading. Ages 7--11. (Feb.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2--4--Mary Hamilton was a devoted activist in the Civil Rights Movement, a freedom rider and the first woman to head the southern region of CORE, the Congress of Racial Equality. She was repeatedly arrested for her activism, and she insisted that jailers, court figures, and elected officials refer to her as Miss Hamilton, giving her the honorific typically denied to African Americans at the time. When she refused to answer a prosecutor who used only her first name, a judge held Hamilton in contempt of court. Her appeal went to the Supreme Court, where the justices ruled that all individuals, regardless of race, deserve to be addressed with respect in court. Weatherford's free verse powerfully and concisely conveys the realities of racism and the threats faced by Hamilton and other activists. The quality and appeal of the book is complicated by the artwork. The digital scratch board illustrations are unique and effective when depicting scenes such as the Supreme Court Building, or details of items like a tea table, but less so in close portraiture of Hamilton and other people. The technique leaves lines scratched across the subjects' skin and frequently results in uneven facial features, which may be stylistically distracting for literal-minded children. The illustrations are collaged with photographs, which add an appropriate sense of realism and immediacy. VERDICT Hamilton's inspiring story has not been the focus of any other book, and for that fact alone it is deserving of shelf space. This evocative and informative story of an unsung heroine is recommended for general purchase.--Elizabeth Lovsin
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Review by Horn Book Review
Mary Hamilton was a teacher, a Freedom Rider, a CORE regional director, and an agent of change. Carole Boston Weatherford's (Unspeakable, rev. 1/21, and many others) poetic free-verse text provides readers with a brief sketch of Hamilton's extraordinary life before shifting focus to her judicial fight for dignity. Hamilton's nonviolent resistance to injustices of the Jim Crow South led to many encounters with Southern law enforcement, including several arrests, one of which had a resounding impact on the legal world. In an Alabama courtroom, when a white prosecutor disrespectfully called her by her first name, she refused to answer unless he called her "Miss Hamilton," even when she was ordered by the judge to respond. Hamilton was held in contempt of court. The NAACP-backed lawsuits that followed led to an important Supreme Court ruling, which requires judges and lawyers to address all participants in a courtroom with dignity and respect. Jeffery Boston Weatherford's (You Can Fly, rev. 7/16) large, striking scratchboard and collage illustrations, which often incorporate archival photographs, complement the clear narrative. A variety of typefaces are used to accentuate the art and emphasize Hamilton's bold actions. A detailed timeline and a list of further reading round out this impressive volume. Eric Carpenter March/April 2022 p.(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Young readers are introduced to the inspiring life of lesser-known civil rights leader Mary Hamilton. Weatherford recounts that as a child, Mary had a "fighting spirit" and proudly embraced her African American identity despite the fact that her "skin was so light, she could have been mistaken for white." She grew up to attend a genteel all-girls college where she learned that addressing people by their proper titles was "a sign of COURTESY AND RESPECT," and she pursued a teaching career. Hamilton became the first woman head of the Congress of Racial Equality's Southern region and was frequently arrested while participating in civil rights protests. When a White prosecutor referred to her as "Mary," she insisted on being addressed by the honorific "Miss." Charged with contempt of court, she took her case all the way to the Supreme Court, which ruled that all people should be entitled to the same respectful forms of address, regardless of race. Weatherford's text is straightforward, unfolding the story in pithy, reportorial prose. Bold fonts and all-caps typography help emphasize the fierce moral urgency of the civil rights movement. With a combination of black-and-white photos (including a montage of portraits of Hamilton's relatives) and scratchboard art, the book presents iconic, unvarnished images of the civil rights era and captures Hamilton's bold determination. Fans of Weatherford's Voices of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer (2015) will enjoy this visually interesting picture book. Backmatter includes a timeline of the civil rights movement. Essential reading for teaching children about the importance of demanding equality and respect. (author's note, further reading) (Picture-book biography. 7-11) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
