Loving Vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case
by Patricia Hruby Powell; Artwork by Shadra Strickland
Chronicle Books (January 31, 2017)
Fiction * Historical * United States* Litigation
Audience: 12 years and up
Indiebound | WorldCat
Description from GoodReads:
From acclaimed author Patricia Hruby Powell comes the story of a landmark civil rights case, told in spare and gorgeous verse. In 1955, in Caroline County, Virginia, amidst segregation and prejudice, injustice and cruelty, two teenagers fell in love. Their life together broke the law, but their determination would change it. Richard and Mildred Loving were at the heart of a Supreme Court case that legalized marriage between races, and a story of the devoted couple who faced discrimination, fought it, and won.
With the release of the movie LOVING and several children's books, I wondered what a text set would look like as part of a classroom discussion or unit. What resources both nonfiction and fiction were out there that could be used?
Two years ago at ALA Midwinter '15, I read the biographical picture book, The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage by Selina Alko and illustrated by Sean Qualls (Arthur A. Levine).
This was the first time I heard about the case of Mildred and Richard Loving. I wondered why I had never heard of this case, but more startling was that this case occurred within my lifetime.
Then came the movie, which sadly I still haven't seen yet. The movie trailer is below...
An on-line search, produced several resources. The ACLU has links to articles, a podcast, and a few other items to pursue and incorporate into a series of lessons or discussions with students.
Time Life has a series of photographs and a thought-provoking article to read, which turned the Lovings into civil rights heroes.
The Bill of Rights Institute provides educators with a lesson plan and additional resources.
Most recently, Patricia Hruby Powell created a book using a series of poems told from Richard and Mildred's alternating perspectives. The book also contains some biographical information at the end.
Additionally there are illustrated pages and photographs throughout the book.
As we enter, African American History Month and as our nation addresses recent racial and cultural concerns, the Lovings may be just the right civil right activists to feature this month.
Look for a copy of A Case for Loving, and Loving Vs. Virginia at your local indie bookstores.
Artwork by Sarah S. Bannen, 2017
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