Reviews
A compelling account of a group of young people who put their freedom and lives at risk as civil rights protesters. In 1963, over 30 African-American girls between the ages of 11 and 16 were arrested for taking part in protests in Americus, Georgia. Unknown to their families, the girls were taken to a Civil War-era stockade in Leesburg, Georgia, where they were confined for weeks in squalid conditions and subjected to inhumane treatment. Schwartz, who interviewed some of the women imprisoned in the stockade, offers a vivid, insightful look at their ordeal. Lack of toilet facilities forced the girls to relieve themselves in their sleeping space, which was nothing more than a stone floor. In addition to overwhelming filth and odor, the stockade was infested with flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and cockroaches. The barely edible food served to them sickened most. They did all they could to support one another and maintain a hopeful spirit, singing freedom songs and praying together. The ordeal makes for gripping reading, but unfortunately it is overwhelmed by the extensive background information on the civil rights movement presented in boxes and on separate pages throughout the account. While the attempt to provide this additional historical context is praiseworthy, it also interrupts the narrative flow and makes it difficult to get a sense of any of the girls as individual characters. A fresh, insightful look at the crucial role young people played in the civil rights movement, though not without its flaws. --Kirkus Reviews --Journal In 1963, a group of teenage girls who had been jailed for their role in civil rights protests were sent to a Civil War-era prison in the heart of Georgia. Crowded into one cell, at least 30 girls between the ages of 11 and 15 served their time in squalid conditions with little to eat or drink, no way to keep clean, and no contact with the outside world. Schwartz utilizes a tremendous trove of primary source material, and recollections from the girls who served time in Leesburg, to make up the bulk of the narrative. Additionally, photographs taken by SNCC photographer Danny Lyon capture the reprehensible conditions and the indomitable spirit of the young inmates. It will be impossible for readers not to feel a sense of relatability with the girls in the photographs, who were so much younger than the more famous heroes of the civil rights era, but no less resolute or brave. --Booklist --Journal Journalist and author Heather E. Schwartz ventures into one of the many dark corners of the U.S. civil rights movement, illuminating the ghastly story of more than 30 African-American preteen and teenage girls from Americus, Ga., who were arrested in the summer of 1963. At the time, youths were working strenuous, low-paying manual labor jobs beside their parents, and this 'new generation of young black Americans was beginning to recognize the shadow that segregation cast over their futures.' These young people were just as motivated as their elders to join in the monumental, nonviolent fight for equal rights. Using protests, marches and sit-ins, they wanted their voices to be heard by a nation legally discriminating against them and treating them as substandard citizens. However, while youth protestors were just as likely as adult protestors to be arrested and mistreated, in the summer of 1963, an unexpected scenario left a group of girls tragically vulnerable: Americus police moved the group of young protestors out of the city jail and into an old, Civil War-era prison miles away in Leesburg, Ga. The girls had no idea where they were, and their parents were not informed. Instead, the detainees--the girls were never charged with crimes--were at the mercy of their callous, hate-filled prison guards. In Locked Up for Freedom, Schwartz explores the nightmare these children experienced. She digs into historic documents, interviews some of the victims and shares photographs that helped bring this travesty to light. Employing language accessible to middle grade readers that clearly illustrates the horrific conditions the girls endured, Schwartz forces the audience to envision themselves in similar circumstances, ' Some of the mattresses were so bad some of the girls were afraid to sleep on them, Robertiena said. So we picked out the ones we thought we could sleep on and pushed them to the front. We put the bad ones, which had bugs crawling over them, to the back. ' Despite the appearance of a diamondback snake, nonfunctioning toilets, horrible food, no contact with the outside world and a lack of medical care, the girls remained hopeful and motivated. They sang songs, prayed and joked with one another. Schwartz beautifully portrays their courage and dedication through this terrifying experience, which for some lasted several months. Weaving in background on the civil rights movement, Jim Crow laws and other high-profile events of the period through the use of call-out sections, the book has an interactive feel, engaging readers in a physically uncomfortable yet vitally important topic. Focusing on girls similar in age to her target audience, Schwartz allows her readers to see themselves in these young heroes. Events like the Americus girls' experience have quietly remained in the shadows of U.S. history; in this striking expose for young readers, Schwartz reveals a disgraceful blemish on the nation's past and gives a powerful voice to the victims. Shelf Talker: The miscarriage of justice against more than 30 young girls from Americus, Ga., during the civil rights movement comes to light in words and pictures that will infuriate and inspire young readers. --Shelf Awareness --Website In the late summer of 1963, more than 30 African American girls were locked up in an abandoned stockade in Leesburg, GA. They ranged in age from 11-16 years old, and all had participated in some form of protest in relation to the growing civil rights movement. Schwartz dives deep into this particular episode, offering up first-person accounts of the circumstances leading to their imprisonment and the horrific conditions they endured at the stockade. Quotes from interviews and photographs are woven into the narrative, offering details about clogged toilets, bug-infested mattresses, and unhygienic living conditions. Schwartz makes clear that though many young people expected to, and did, go to jail for their participation in marches and protests, this specific situation was unique and particularly heinous because of the conditions and the length of time they were held--not to mention they had no contact with the outside world and their families were not informed of their whereabouts. Introductory chapters provide historical context, thus making this a solid choice for students learning about the civil rights movement. The writing is accessible and the accounts compelling. A story that needs to be told. The solid research and concise narrative make it a fine addition to most student-centered -collections. --School Library Journal --Journal
In the late summer of 1963, more than 30 African American girls were locked up in an abandoned stockade in Leesburg, GA. They ranged in age from 11-16 years old, and all had participated in some form of protest in relation to the growing civil rights movement. Schwartz dives deep into this particular episode, offering up first-person accounts of the circumstances leading to their imprisonment and the horrific conditions they endured at the stockade. Quotes from interviews and photographs are woven into the narrative, offering details about clogged toilets, bug-infested mattresses, and unhygienic living conditions. Schwartz makes clear that though many young people expected to, and did, go to jail for their participation in marches and protests, this specific situation was unique and particularly heinous because of the conditions and the length of time they were held--not to mention they had no contact with the outside world and their families were not informed of their whereabouts. Introductory chapters provide historical context, thus making this a solid choice for students learning about the civil rights movement. The writing is accessible and the accounts compelling. A story that needs to be told. The solid research and concise narrative make it a fine addition to most student-centered -collections. --School Library Journal --Journal Journalist and author Heather E. Schwartz ventures into one of the many dark corners of the U.S. civil rights movement, illuminating the ghastly story of more than 30 African-American preteen and teenage girls from Americus, Ga., who were arrested in the summer of 1963. At the time, youths were working strenuous, low-paying manual labor jobs beside their parents, and this 'new generation of young black Americans was beginning to recognize the shadow that segregation cast over their futures.' These young people were just as motivated as their elders to join in the monumental, nonviolent fight for equal rights. Using protests, marches and sit-ins, they wanted their voices to be heard by a nation legally discriminating against them and treating them as substandard citizens. However, while youth protestors were just as likely as adult protestors to be arrested and mistreated, in the summer of 1963, an unexpected scenario left a group of girls tragically vulnerable: Americus police moved the group of young protestors out of the city jail and into an old, Civil War-era prison miles away in Leesburg, Ga. The girls had no idea where they were, and their parents were not informed. Instead, the detainees--the girls were never charged with crimes--were at the mercy of their callous, hate-filled prison guards. In Locked Up for Freedom, Schwartz explores the nightmare these children experienced. She digs into historic documents, interviews some of the victims and shares photographs that helped bring this travesty to light. Employing language accessible to middle grade readers that clearly illustrates the horrific conditions the girls endured, Schwartz forces the audience to envision themselves in similar circumstances, ' Some of the mattresses were so bad some of the girls were afraid to sleep on them, Robertiena said. So we picked out the ones we thought we could sleep on and pushed them to the front. We put the bad ones, which had bugs crawling over them, to the back. ' Despite the appearance of a diamondback snake, nonfunctioning toilets, horrible food, no contact with the outside world and a lack of medical care, the girls remained hopeful and motivated. They sang songs, prayed and joked with one another. Schwartz beautifully portrays their courage and dedication through this terrifying experience, which for some lasted several months. Weaving in background on the civil rights movement, Jim Crow laws and other high-profile events of the period through the use of call-out sections, the book has an interactive feel, engaging readers in a physically uncomfortable yet vitally important topic. Focusing on girls similar in age to her target audience, Schwartz allows her readers to see themselves in these young heroes. Events like the Americus girls' experience have quietly remained in the shadows of U.S. history; in this striking expos for young readers, Schwartz reveals a disgraceful blemish on the nation's past and gives a powerful voice to the victims. Shelf Talker: The miscarriage of justice against more than 30 young girls from Americus, Ga., during the civil rights movement comes to light in words and pictures that will infuriate and inspire young readers. --Shelf Awareness --Website A compelling account of a group of young people who put their freedom and lives at risk as civil rights protesters. In 1963, over 30 African-American girls between the ages of 11 and 16 were arrested for taking part in protests in Americus, Georgia. Unknown to their families, the girls were taken to a Civil War-era stockade in Leesburg, Georgia, where they were confined for weeks in squalid conditions and subjected to inhumane treatment. Schwartz, who interviewed some of the women imprisoned in the stockade, offers a vivid, insightful look at their ordeal. Lack of toilet facilities forced the girls to relieve themselves in their sleeping space, which was nothing more than a stone floor. In addition to overwhelming filth and odor, the stockade was infested with flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and cockroaches. The barely edible food served to them sickened most. They did all they could to support one another and maintain a hopeful spirit, singing freedom songs and praying together. The ordeal makes for gripping reading, but unfortunately it is overwhelmed by the extensive background information on the civil rights movement presented in boxes and on separate pages throughout the account. While the attempt to provide this additional historical context is praiseworthy, it also interrupts the narrative flow and makes it difficult to get a sense of any of the girls as individual characters. A fresh, insightful look at the crucial role young people played in the civil rights movement, though not without its flaws. --Kirkus Reviews --Journal In 1963, a group of teenage girls who had been jailed for their role in civil rights protests were sent to a Civil War-era prison in the heart of Georgia. Crowded into one cell, at least 30 girls between the ages of 11 and 15 served their time in squalid conditions with little to eat or drink, no way to keep clean, and no contact with the outside world. Schwartz utilizes a tremendous trove of primary source material, and recollections from the girls who served time in Leesburg, to make up the bulk of the narrative. Additionally, photographs taken by SNCC photographer Danny Lyon capture the reprehensible conditions and the indomitable spirit of the young inmates. It will be impossible for readers not to feel a sense of relatability with the girls in the photographs, who were so much younger than the more famous heroes of the civil rights era, but no less resolute or brave. --Booklist --Journal
In the late summer of 1963, more than 30 African American girls were locked up in an abandoned stockade in Leesburg, GA. They ranged in age from 11-16 years old, and all had participated in some form of protest in relation to the growing civil rights movement. Schwartz dives deep into this particular episode, offering up first-person accounts of the circumstances leading to their imprisonment and the horrific conditions they endured at the stockade. Quotes from interviews and photographs are woven into the narrative, offering details about clogged toilets, bug-infested mattresses, and unhygienic living conditions. Schwartz makes clear that though many young people expected to, and did, go to jail for their participation in marches and protests, this specific situation was unique and particularly heinous because of the conditions and the length of time they were held--not to mention they had no contact with the outside world and their families were not informed of their whereabouts. Introductory chapters provide historical context, thus making this a solid choice for students learning about the civil rights movement. The writing is accessible and the accounts compelling. A story that needs to be told. The solid research and concise narrative make it a fine addition to most student-centered -collections. --School Library Journal --Journal A compelling account of a group of young people who put their freedom and lives at risk as civil rights protesters. In 1963, over 30 African-American girls between the ages of 11 and 16 were arrested for taking part in protests in Americus, Georgia. Unknown to their families, the girls were taken to a Civil War-era stockade in Leesburg, Georgia, where they were confined for weeks in squalid conditions and subjected to inhumane treatment. Schwartz, who interviewed some of the women imprisoned in the stockade, offers a vivid, insightful look at their ordeal. Lack of toilet facilities forced the girls to relieve themselves in their sleeping space, which was nothing more than a stone floor. In addition to overwhelming filth and odor, the stockade was infested with flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and cockroaches. The barely edible food served to them sickened most. They did all they could to support one another and maintain a hopeful spirit, singing freedom songs and praying together. The ordeal makes for gripping reading, but unfortunately it is overwhelmed by the extensive background information on the civil rights movement presented in boxes and on separate pages throughout the account. While the attempt to provide this additional historical context is praiseworthy, it also interrupts the narrative flow and makes it difficult to get a sense of any of the girls as individual characters. A fresh, insightful look at the crucial role young people played in the civil rights movement, though not without its flaws. --Kirkus Reviews --Journal In 1963, a group of teenage girls who had been jailed for their role in civil rights protests were sent to a Civil War-era prison in the heart of Georgia. Crowded into one cell, at least 30 girls between the ages of 11 and 15 served their time in squalid conditions with little to eat or drink, no way to keep clean, and no contact with the outside world. Schwartz utilizes a tremendous trove of primary source material, and recollections from the girls who served time in Leesburg, to make up the bulk of the narrative. Additionally, photographs taken by SNCC photographer Danny Lyon capture the reprehensible conditions and the indomitable spirit of the young inmates. It will be impossible for readers not to feel a sense of relatability with the girls in the photographs, who were so much younger than the more famous heroes of the civil rights era, but no less resolute or brave. --Booklist --Journal Journalist and author Heather E. Schwartz ventures into one of the many dark corners of the U.S. civil rights movement, illuminating the ghastly story of more than 30 African-American preteen and teenage girls from Americus, Ga., who were arrested in the summer of 1963. At the time, youths were working strenuous, low-paying manual labor jobs beside their parents, and this 'new generation of young black Americans was beginning to recognize the shadow that segregation cast over their futures.' These young people were just as motivated as their elders to join in the monumental, nonviolent fight for equal rights. Using protests, marches and sit-ins, they wanted their voices to be heard by a nation legally discriminating against them and treating them as substandard citizens. However, while youth protestors were just as likely as adult protestors to be arrested and mistreated, in the summer of 1963, an unexpected scenario left a group of girls tragically vulnerable: Americus police moved the group of young protestors out of the city jail and into an old, Civil War-era prison miles away in Leesburg, Ga. The girls had no idea where they were, and their parents were not informed. Instead, the detainees--the girls were never charged with crimes--were at the mercy of their callous, hate-filled prison guards. In Locked Up for Freedom, Schwartz explores the nightmare these children experienced. She digs into historic documents, interviews some of the victims and shares photographs that helped bring this travesty to light. Employing language accessible to middle grade readers that clearly illustrates the horrific conditions the girls endured, Schwartz forces the audience to envision themselves in similar circumstances, ' Some of the mattresses were so bad some of the girls were afraid to sleep on them, Robertiena said. So we picked out the ones we thought we could sleep on and pushed them to the front. We put the bad ones, which had bugs crawling over them, to the back. ' Despite the appearance of a diamondback snake, nonfunctioning toilets, horrible food, no contact with the outside world and a lack of medical care, the girls remained hopeful and motivated. They sang songs, prayed and joked with one another. Schwartz beautifully portrays their courage and dedication through this terrifying experience, which for some lasted several months. Weaving in background on the civil rights movement, Jim Crow laws and other high-profile events of the period through the use of call-out sections, the book has an interactive feel, engaging readers in a physically uncomfortable yet vitally important topic. Focusing on girls similar in age to her target audience, Schwartz allows her readers to see themselves in these young heroes. Events like the Americus girls' experience have quietly remained in the shadows of U.S. history; in this striking expos for young readers, Schwartz reveals a disgraceful blemish on the nation's past and gives a powerful voice to the victims. Shelf Talker: The miscarriage of justice against more than 30 young girls from Americus, Ga., during the civil rights movement comes to light in words and pictures that will infuriate and inspire young readers. --Shelf Awareness --Website
A compelling account of a group of young people who put their freedom and lives at risk as civil rights protesters. In 1963, over 30 African-American girls between the ages of 11 and 16 were arrested for taking part in protests in Americus, Georgia. Unknown to their families, the girls were taken to a Civil War-era stockade in Leesburg, Georgia, where they were confined for weeks in squalid conditions and subjected to inhumane treatment. Schwartz, who interviewed some of the women imprisoned in the stockade, offers a vivid, insightful look at their ordeal. Lack of toilet facilities forced the girls to relieve themselves in their sleeping space, which was nothing more than a stone floor. In addition to overwhelming filth and odor, the stockade was infested with flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and cockroaches. The barely edible food served to them sickened most. They did all they could to support one another and maintain a hopeful spirit, singing freedom songs and praying together. The ordeal makes for gripping reading, but unfortunately it is overwhelmed by the extensive background information on the civil rights movement presented in boxes and on separate pages throughout the account. While the attempt to provide this additional historical context is praiseworthy, it also interrupts the narrative flow and makes it difficult to get a sense of any of the girls as individual characters. A fresh, insightful look at the crucial role young people played in the civil rights movement, though not without its flaws.--Kirkus Reviews -- Journal (8/16/2017 12:00:00 AM) In the late summer of 1963, more than 30 African American girls were locked up in an abandoned stockade in Leesburg, GA. They ranged in age from 11-16 years old, and all had participated in some form of protest in relation to the growing civil rights movement. Schwartz dives deep into this particular episode, offering up first-person accounts of the circumstances leading to their imprisonment and the horrific conditions they endured at the stockade. Quotes from interviews and photographs are woven into the narrative, offering details about clogged toilets, bug-infested mattresses, and unhygienic living conditions. Schwartz makes clear that though many young people expected to, and did, go to jail for their participation in marches and protests, this specific situation was unique and particularly heinous because of the conditions and the length of time they were held--not to mention they had no contact with the outside world and their families were not informed of their whereabouts. Introductory chapters provide historical context, thus making this a solid choice for students learning about the civil rights movement. The writing is accessible and the accounts compelling. A story that needs to be told. The solid research and concise narrative make it a fine addition to most student-centered -collections.--School Library Journal -- Journal (8/29/2017 12:00:00 AM) In 1963, a group of teenage girls who had been jailed for their role in civil rights protests were sent to a Civil War-era prison in the heart of Georgia. Crowded into one cell, at least 30 girls between the ages of 11 and 15 served their time in squalid conditions with little to eat or drink, no way to keep clean, and no contact with the outside world. Schwartz utilizes a tremendous trove of primary source material, and recollections from the girls who served time in Leesburg, to make up the bulk of the narrative. Additionally, photographs taken by SNCC photographer Danny Lyon capture the reprehensible conditions and the indomitable spirit of the young inmates. It will be impossible for readers not to feel a sense of relatability with the girls in the photographs, who were so much younger than the more famous heroes of the civil rights era, but no less resolute or brave.--Booklist -- Journal (8/31/2017 12:00:00 AM) Journalist and author Heather E. Schwartz ventures into one of the many dark corners of the U.S. civil rights movement, illuminating the ghastly story of more than 30 African-American preteen and teenage girls from Americus, Ga., who were arrested in the summer of 1963. At the time, youths were working strenuous, low-paying manual labor jobs beside their parents, and this 'new generation of young black Americans was beginning to recognize the shadow that segregation cast over their futures.' These young people were just as motivated as their elders to join in the monumental, nonviolent fight for equal rights. Using protests, marches and sit-ins, they wanted their voices to be heard by a nation legally discriminating against them and treating them as substandard citizens. However, while youth protestors were just as likely as adult protestors to be arrested and mistreated, in the summer of 1963, an unexpected scenario left a group of girls tragically vulnerable: Americus police moved the group of young protestors out of the city jail and into an old, Civil War-era prison miles away in Leesburg, Ga. The girls had no idea where they were, and their parents were not informed. Instead, the detainees--the girls were never charged with crimes--were at the mercy of their callous, hate-filled prison guards. In Locked Up for Freedom, Schwartz explores the nightmare these children experienced. She digs into historic documents, interviews some of the victims and shares photographs that helped bring this travesty to light. Employing language accessible to middle grade readers that clearly illustrates the horrific conditions the girls endured, Schwartz forces the audience to envision themselves in similar circumstances, 'Some of the mattresses were so bad some of the girls were afraid to sleep on them, Robertiena said. So we picked out the ones we thought we could sleep on and pushed them to the front. We put the bad ones, which had bugs crawling over them, to the back.' Despite the appearance of a diamondback snake, nonfunctioning toilets, horrible food, no contact with the outside world and a lack of medical care, the girls remained hopeful and motivated. They sang songs, prayed and joked with one another. Schwartz beautifully portrays their courage and dedication through this terrifying experience, which for some lasted several months. Weaving in background on the civil rights movement, Jim Crow laws and other high-profile events of the period through the use of call-out sections, the book has an interactive feel, engaging readers in a physically uncomfortable yet vitally important topic. Focusing on girls similar in age to her target audience, Schwartz allows her readers to see themselves in these young heroes. Events like the Americus girls' experience have quietly remained in the shadows of U.S. history; in this striking expose for young readers, Schwartz reveals a disgraceful blemish on the nation's past and gives a powerful voice to the victims. Shelf Talker: The miscarriage of justice against more than 30 young girls from Americus, Ga., during the civil rights movement comes to light in words and pictures that will infuriate and inspire young readers.--Shelf Awareness -- Website (10/6/2017 12:00:00 AM)
Author Information
When Heather E. Schwartz was thirteen years old, she tracked down several lead orphans from the 1983 movie ""Annie"" and interviewed them by phone. As an adult, she realized she could apply those same early instincts to a career as a journalist and writer. She is the author of more than 35 nonfiction children's titles, published by Lerner Publishing Group, Capstone Press, Teacher Created Materials, Lucent Books, and Tangerine Press, a Scholastic imprint. She has written articles for National Geographic Kids and Discovery Girls. In addition, she developed the content for KidsGetArthritisToo.org, the juvenile section of the Arthritis Foundation's website. Other credits in the children's market include articles for Teen, Girls' Life, and All About You magazines. Additionally, Ms. Schwartz is a former editor at Bridal Guide magazine, co-author of Bridal Guide Magazine's How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Gown (Warner, 2004), and contributor to The Takeout Cookbook (Knock Knock 2007).
