Civil Rights Struggles Around the World

By Domenica Di Piazza, Editorial Director, TFCB

One of the new TFCB series for Fall 2010 of which I’m proudest is Civil Rights Struggles around the World. This series is particularly timely in that, in this first decade of the twenty-first century, we are marking a number of anniversaries of iconic civil rights struggles.

The topics of the books in this high-school series range from the fight against colonialism in India (cover at right) to racial segregation in South Africa and the United States to student protests against repressive government at Tiananmen Square in China (cover below left) to the Delano Grape Strike and the International Ladies Garment Workers Strike (cover below right) against unfair labor practices in the United States.

The series showcases the ability of individuals to change the course of history and to improve life for citizens in their communities and around the world. Readers hear many voices, including those of Steve Biko, Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, Clara Lemlich and Rose Schneiderman, Wang Dan, and the Greensboro 4—Franklin McCain, David Richmond, Ezell Blair, and Joseph McNeill.

I asked author Stuart Kallen—who wrote two of the titles in this series—to talk a little about what inspired him as he was writing about the Delano Grape Strike and the fight against apartheid in South Africa. He responded eloquently. Double click on the video clip below to listen to Stuart’s thoughts.

Thank you, Stuart!

(I’ll be on vacation in France next week. You can check in next Tuesday to learn more about TFCB titles related to Things French. A bientot!)