March: Book Three

... a wonderful retelling of terrible truths.

As Raina Telgemeier tells us, "MARCH is one of the most important graphic novels ever created - an extraordinary presentation of an extraordinary live, and proof that young people can change the world. I'm stunned by the power of these comics, and grateful that Congressman Lewis's story will enlighten and inspire future generations of readers and leaders."

Amen.

I really like and recommend this series by John Lewis and friends. These are another way to provide information about an important time in our nation and those closely providing vision, leadership and action. The Honorable John Lewis is a true hero in our history.

This graphic novel was purchased as a gift for my wife. She is enjoying it now and I hope to read it before or after she lets two of our grandchildren read it. I am of John Lewis's age and admire the courage of those who marched in the 60's

This series by Lewis is an incredible tool for insight into the Civil Rights Movement. My kids respond so much more to graphic novels, and these are no different. I expected parallels into Lewis' "Walking With the Wind" autobiography, but this touches on different material also. The illustrations are masterfully done, the story is strong and compelling. Though film material exists from that time, there is something to be said about how a graphic novel can impart a feeling simply through the graphics themselves in a way film (particularly dated newsreel film) cannot impart.

In all, this series has been an eye opener to the civil rights movement from a soul who was right in the middle of it. A compelling part of our history, and a fascinating series that will serve well for younger students and kids to get an insight and understanding into that era.

The March trilogy is a graphic novel series telling the story of John Lewis's involvement with the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s. When March: Book Three (2016) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, illustrated by Nate Powell begins in September 1963 with the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham.

Although this novel focuses on Lewis's experiences with him as the narrator and, of course, biographical information from his own life, this story also takes a wider lens to look at the movement as a whole. Lewis is the head of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) whose younger members are feeling disillusioned with the more mainstream activists who often take credit for SNCCs moves while sidelining their role. SNCC is on the verge of fracturing from within, and violence is increasing in the south as Lewis and others make plans for Freedom Vote and the Mississippi Freedom Summer.

March: Book Three is a thoughtful and engrossing conclusion to a trilogy that is already being hailed as a modern classic. This final installment was the 2016 National Book Award Winner for Young People's Literature.

Although it is the third part of a trilogy, most of this story makes sense on its own. Readers with a basic knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement and history of the time may have an easier go diving into this story than those without that background. Because this book is so visual, I will admit that I had a hard time identifying key characters early on which, I think, is partly from coming to this book without reading the earlier installments.

Lewis and Aydin have worked together to create a narrative that focuses on Lewis's life experiences and his own changing feelings about SNCC and the movement as a whole. At the same time, the scope and breadth of the movement--the far-reaching hopes and the devastating violence--are also emphasizes both with the narrative text and with Powell's moving illustrations and dynamic panel layouts.

The black and white illustrations work extremely well to highlight the injustice the Civil Rights Movement was fighting. The lack of color in the illustrations also has the interesting effect of flattening a lot of the skin tones and underscoring how similar we all are. Powell does a good job filling each panel and page with movement and action. Some of the panels are a bit frenzied but it's a deliberate choice at key moments.

Having March: Book Three framed as a story told in retrospect was also a very effective choice. Readers go into this story knowing that Lewis makes it through--he survives--and also seeing immediately how far things have progressed (and how much work remains). Reading this story through a different lens with more immediacy to the narrative would have been unbearable and often devastating in the wake of the loss and danger faced by Lewis and everyone else in the Movement. I read this graphic novel near the 2016 election and it was very poignant and bittersweet to see the power of the vote in action while also realizing how much was undone in 2016 and how much still must be done.

While this book functions as a larger history of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, it's also important to remember that this series is also an autobiographical text in many ways. Because of that, this story does set aside and gloss over certain moments. This selective focus is a flaw of any biographical text and it makes sense in the context of this series as the focus is clearly and deliberately on the main events and players of the Movement. That said, it is interesting to note the way Stokely Carmichael's comments about women's only position in SNCC being prone was glossed over. I am sure it was seen as a joke by a lot of people then (and still) but the way it was sidestepped here just highlights how anyone, even with the best intentions does have an agenda and bias in terms of scope and how events are presented. It's also worth noting that this story stops short of SNCC's dissolution and Martin Luther King Jr's assassination.

March: Book Three is a powerful conclusion to a trilogy everyone should read. This series deserves every bit of praise it has received. It is a rare series that occupies the space between academic reading for school and pleasure reading quite comfortably. Recommended.

This is the final book in this amazing graphic novel trilogy. Congressman John Lewis concludes his story of the Civil Rights marches, providing real context to the Black Lives Matter movement of today. This book begins with the bombing of the church in Birmingham, Alabama that killed four young girls. It shows the fight for the ability to vote in Alabama for African Americans who were forced to take tests or just ignored as they tried to register to vote. The book culminates with the march in Selma and the violence that accompanied it and most importantly the changes it created.

I can’t say enough good things about this series. It brings critical Civil Rights history directly to teens in a format that is engaging. There is no way to turn away from the violence of the response of those in power as blood flows in the images on the pages. It makes it all the more powerful that the marches stayed nonviolent and focused on pacifism. Lewis himself voices again and again how much pressure there was at times in the movement to react more violently and how that was managed by himself and others. It is a testament to people willing to put their own bodies and lives at risk for progress.

The illustrations are riveting. Done in black and white, they effectively play darkness and light against one another, adding to the drama of the situations they depict. At times they are haunting and blaze with tragedy. The opening scenes of the Birmingham church are filled with tension and sadness that make it difficult to turn the pages and witness what happens.

These are the books our teens need right now. Every public library should have this series, no matter what races are represented in your community. This is our shared history and one that we cannot deny or turn away from. Appropriate for ages 12-15.

John Lewis finishes his autobiography of the civil rights movement years. This one covers 1963-1965 the bombing of Birmingham Sunday, the crucial laws passed during these years and the big push by Lewis and others to make sure those laws were passed so that everyone could vote without any hindrances.

This is a hard but very important read. It's probably a good thing they chose to keep this in black and white because there's so much bloodshed that happened. It's truly horrific the things people went through both while suffering injustice and nonviolently protesting that injustice. Definitely recommended for teens and adults. History teachers, you should really look into adding this into your curriculum if you cover American history or human rights.

Notes on content: One strong swear word in a quote. Racial slurs and minor swearing in quotes as well. No sexual content. As mentioned lots of violence. All of it is historical, and I think being overwhelmed by the violence is important to fully realizing the suffering and injustice. However, be forewarned lots of shootings and beatings and a few bombings, many of which resulted in death. Some of that is depicted on page (but again, it is in black and white so not as gory as it could be).

The March

My review is going to cover all three books in the series. I read these from April 23 to May 2, 2017.

My experience in the series was a wonderful one, and I would certainly read them again with my children at some point. I would also love to incorporate them into my classroom – I have no doubt that there are many recognizable mirrors between what was happening during the Civil Rights era, especially in Book III, that make this a perfect time for the creation of this important book. The government’s elected officials are still trying to pass laws to stifle protest, they have no problem holding the constitution and civil rights in contempt over racial issues, clearly use gerrymandering (rather than registration suppression and segregation) to influence the results they want in elections, and still, still, still the ongoing fight for equality that is solely political, economic, and involve many of the same (if not worse and more violent) law enforcement tactics.

My only criticism of the books is a relatively simple one. The only thing I felt was wrong with the narrative was the lack of depth of the protagonist's characterization. I only wish there was some flaw or something to feel empathetic for... In life, there are many qualities in real people that make them imperfect, and in many ways, it is the lack of imperfection in the characters that made me feel they were a little flat. The closest the books get happen so rarely that I can list them briefly – I found one allusion to sex (no big deal; people have sex), I found one reference to the young people in the organizations having sex (again, people have sex. Everyone has sex), and one reference to Lewis *almost* hitting an officer to defend MLK. Now, that one is a moral dilemma, and also a dilemma for the cause,... but he didn't act. I wish I could have seen some flaw in character, judgment, or something, but by the end, they are so squeaky clean (and this is in contrast to the awful, brutal, disgusting, unremorseful anti-democracy people literally getting away with murder the whole book) that it feels almost artificial. Where are their mistakes? I was hoping maybe the authors could make me believe they are not only overcoming major external conflicts, but also overcoming their internal ones as well.

Besides this, March was an excellent series. When I got the free comic book excerpt on free comic book day, I was hooked. I am glad I picked up the whole series – I flew through its wonderful pacing, beautiful art, and the truly American story of equality, protest, and rebirth.

What follows are my thoughts about each volume - I wrote them as I finished each one.

-BOOK I-
Book I covers the origins of John Lewis' early life. He was always a hard worker. In his youth he tended to the chickens on the family farm and dreamed of one day becoming a preacher. His early struggles were exploring the ethics of eating meat, his (and his chickens) relationship with his religion, and his access to education. As a tenacious child, he understood how important education was to his future, and he grabbed every opportunity even when it was against his father's wishes. The story then goes on to explain how he came to be associated with a young Martin Luther King Jr. and one of the core members of the touchstones of the Civil Rights Movement, The Nashville Student Movement and eventually the SNCC. After various sit-ins and a mass arrest, they cause great change.

The art is gorgeous. The layout, execution and various places where the rules are broken are pretty awesome, and as a package, it is a truly great story so far. I am looking forward to reading book II and III. The only thing that didn't quite work for me was the frame story. Granted, I know why it was there structurally (both in the near term for this story, and what I anticipate is obvious for the long-game of the other two books) and figuratively, but the story was pretty strong on its own without it.

-BOOK II-
The march continues explosively as the Freedom Riders bravely power through their nonviolent movement and crash into the violent one-sided race war. This book also explores the splintering of the SNCC into a variety of groups with different goals, the terror of the reality of jail for our fearless leaders of freedom, the marches (including one where a thousand school-age children were imprisoned in a single afternoon), the absolute mindless power exercised by Bull Connor and Strom Thurmond, the murders of the members of the movement, and the incorporation of A. Phillip Randolph, Martin Luther King Jr, Roy Wilkins, Jim Farmer, Whitney Young, and of course John Lewis into what became known as the Big Six.

The stunning, explosive art continues with Birmingham and the sixteenth street Baptist Church at its center. Two pivotal moments seem to drive the narrative this time as Barack Obama's inauguration mirrors August 28, 1963. A beautiful text. Looking forward to Book III.

-BOOK III-
The culmination of everything everyone was fighting for, the final volume explores the end of desegregation, including most notably the various political movements happening behind the scenes in response to what was happening in the streets. This book was the longest of the three, and by far the starkest with each page swinging wildly from black to white and dark to light as the ink ran down the page in inky violence. This text and lack of text juxtaposes the narrative even more. Some pages are solitary and quiet, while others run feverishly with words as congress, the president, the television, the radio, and members of the various organizations' debate, shout, report, and hammer away at one another with words, words, and words. This is certainly the most moving of the three volumes, an apex of horror, loneliness, blood, and sacrifice taking center stage to the lead up to Bloody Sunday.

Of course, voting becomes a right for everyone, and a great deal of blood of our great civil rights leaders – of our fellow Americans – was spilled in sacrifice for true equality. By the end of the story when the second peaceful Selma march is conducted and later when John Lewis has two beautiful moments with Barack Obama during his inauguration, I choked back tears at the beauty of what I experienced at the end. I wasn’t a fan of the frame story at the beginning, but by the end, it hit me hard.

Police arrests, murders, determination, perseverance, equal rights, voting, the Freedom March, and so many more shocking events occurred during the civil rights movement. I absolutely loved March Book Three, and I completely understand why it won the Printz Award, Coretta Scott King Award, and 4 other major awards.

March Book Three by John Lewis is well deserving of these awards, and honestly one of the best books I've read. This book, is the third and final book in the March series telling the complete civil rights movement from John Lewis' experience.

I give March Book Three 5 out of 5 Stars. The pictures are fantastic, the story line is great, the pace is quick, the words are powerful, and the events are inspiring. I learned so much while reading not only this book, but the entire series. It is a must read for sure, and I am so glad I have it in my personal library.

At the very beginning it took me a second to remember what SNCC stood for b/c book three didn't overlap with the second book. There is so much I really liked about this book. I loved that the writing had the perfect balance of facts to teach and dialogue to keep the story going.

I really enjoyed John Lewis' view on JFK's death and the fear he had with Johnson becoming the President. I think his feelings are relatable to how many feel any time a new President begins his presidency. I was shocked of the events as well as the aftermath from the Freedom Summer, and I was inspired by Fannie Lou Hamer's speech as well as President Johnson's speech. I was in awe of the fight, dedication, and perseverance Lewis and many other's had to complete their march from Selma to Montgomery. I was shocked the FBI was wiretapping the Freedom Democratic Party and MLK. To be honest, I learned so much reading this book and series.

I absolutely think every one high school aged and up should read this book and series. It is powerful and inspiring. I loved that Lewis connected the first and last book with the reason for writing these books. Lewis is brilliant, funny, and I'm so glad he wrote this book.

In regards to the series as a whole, I would have to give the entire March series 5 stars. It's all well done, connects so well to one another, very informative as well as entertaining. and all around great. I personally love that Lewis wanted to make this a graphic novel. I think it reaches a wider audience and the pictures provide the reader with a valuable and necessary connection to the story and the events.

For more book reviews check Alohamora Open a Book

Lewis is a civil rights icon. Injured numerous times and almost killed by police for trying to get blacks registered to vote in the 60s, he now serves as an important voice in the House of Representatives. This is his riveting conclusion to the graphic novel trilogy about his experiences as a leader in the early civil rights movement.

I found this volume to be the most gut-wrenching of the three, as violence against peaceful protesters turned more and more hateful and gruesome. Some of the personal stories are gut-wrenching, perhaps especially that of Fannie Lou Hamer, who lost her job for trying to register to vote, and then had family threatened and was beaten and arrested numerous times by police. Her televised account was a major factor in the consciousness-raising that took place in the U.S. during that time. Lewis also illustrates the reluctance of the federal government to get involved and the work done to convince LBJ to force through civil rights legislation (part of which was gutted by our Supreme Court just last year). Lewis is not shy about showing the infighting the occurred between black civil rights groups, mostly as to tactics, timing, and how much to depend on outsiders. But the main story here is the tremendous courage it took for people to fight for their rights in the face of a vicious and antagonistic police and government in the southern states.

John Lewis is one of my heroes, and these books show why. He has spent his entire adult life working to benefit those without full civil rights, often risking his own life and future. Here is a man who is a role model for how America is supposed to treat it's own citizens and others in need of protection. It would be nice if those in power here in early 2017 would take a look at their own souls and notice the comparison.

After reading this, I can very easily understand why it won so many awards. This book tells a powerful story, but not necessarily an easy one to read, which is why I wouldn't hand it to anyone under the age of 12-14. This book takes up where the second book ended, continuing Congressman John Lewis's story of the events leading up to the second Selma to Montgomery March and the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The combination of text and visuals makes this a particularly emotional read. Even though I was aware of some of what happened during the Civil Rights struggles of the 1960s, seeing it visually represented, and hearing John's story told so well, made it more impactful. This is a story of courage, and hope, and passion, but it's also a story of fear, and anger and violence. Some of the awful language and graphic violence is hard to take, especially with the marchers refusing to fight back. But I've long believed and this series has cemented that belief, that it was the nonviolent approach in the face of often brutal violence and hatred, that finally carried the day. An amazing end to an amazing series that documents a time in the United States history that needs to be remembered, especially since the journey continues today.

This series by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell, takes you on a journey through history and seeing it firsthand as if being there. Learning about history is not boring in this context and even though many moments in this trilogy are horrific, they need to be told as they really happened and not sugar coated which this series does not do.

Hope is scattered throughout the series but in the final book, it takes it's place to guide us to a better future. The march continues now and may become as bloody as it was then with our current administration and not on behalf of the peaceful protesters (which we should definitely continue to do as the marchers did way back in the 60s) but because our current administration is full of bullies who promote bullying in this country. My hope and this trilogy's hope is that we never repeat history but learn from it.

This book is a must read. Published by Top Shelf Productions.

All three of these books were stellar, and I loved reading them so much. I ordered them all on the same day, and though it took the store over a month to SEND them to me, and they didn't all arrive together, or in order, I thought they were simply wonderful. My husband is reading them now, and we will begin to share them with others...before we make our pilgrimage to the great new museum in the spring. I hope Senator Lewis and his writer and illustrator will continue his saga, too. The history is not YET DONE! It didn't finish on the Edmund Pettis, and it didn't finish when Barack Obama was elected...and it certainly isn't finished now. WRITE on, Sentator Lewis! You are our BEST American Hero!

This third volume centers around the movement fighting for the right to vote. At this time, the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution had already given all citizens the right to vote, but that was only on paper. In the "real world," police officer and city officials still prevented black people from registering by creating poll taxes or making them complete "literacy tests." Many were harassed and beaten; some lost their jobs if they even attempted to register. This volume also covers the march from Selma to Montgomery.

This series was beautiful, heartbreaking, and inspiring. I learned a lot about the civil rights movement that I was never taught in school. I learned so many things that were horrifying and sad, but it was tied together really beautifully with some pages showing the 2009 Inauguration of President Barack Obama, which was a really beautiful way to see how far this country has come as far as civil rights and racial inequality are concerned. Definitely would recommend and will definitely be sharing this series with my daughter.

This series is a must read. The illustrations speak more than words ever could. I felt so much throughout this series and was inspired. This third and final book in the series was a great way to end it and had wonderful ties to the present.

Wow. Just - wow. This is a masterful work and amazing series, demonstrating how powerful the graphic novel format can be, and thoroughly engaging with a time that sometimes seems far away and larger than life. Highly recommended.

Much detail has been packed into the March trilogy. My review is about all three books. Reading just one is like reading the third of the way through a book. It’s not a simple overview of the Civil Rights Movement and Representative John Lewis’ part in it. It is the passionate story of Lewis determination to find freedom for his segregated brothers and sisters. At times I was a little confused about what was happening, but if I studied the graphics as well as the text, it made sense. I am impressed with how the creative writing team made this book both an intimate story of Lewis and an epic story of American History. This would be a great addition to any high school study of civil rights.

I finally finished this trilogy of graphic novel books. Sad, depressing, shameful! We have so much work yet to do to even begin to reach the standard enunciated in the Declaration of July, 1776. This book demonstrates how selfish, misguided and ignorant we can be in the face of simple truths as it relates to basic human rights. The events of the book were 100 years after the bloody civil war and amendments to the constitution, yet even today there are shameful strategies to block voting. Shame on all of us!