Raising My Fist for Justice
by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, Dawud Anyabwile
Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Sep 2022
208 pages
Genre: Biography/Memoir
Publication Information
A groundbreaking and timely graphic memoir from one of the most iconic figures in American sports - and a tribute to his fight for civil rights.
On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, received death threats, and faced ostracism and continuing economic hardships.
In his first-ever memoir for young readers, Tommie Smith looks back on his childhood growing up in rural Texas through to his stellar athletic career, culminating in his historic victory and Olympic podium protest. Cowritten with Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient Derrick Barnes and illustrated with bold and muscular artwork from Emmy Award–winning illustrator Dawud Anyabwile, Victory. Stand! paints a stirring portrait of an iconic moment in Olympic history that still resonates today.
Black-and-white illustrations throughout.
"With collaborators Barnes and Anyabwile, Smith details his childhood leading up to his historic Olympic protest—and its aftermath—in this compelling graphic memoir...Smith's timely story, whose nonlinear timeline highlights both prominent events during the civil rights movement and Smith's interpersonal struggles, is a powerful celebration of resistance." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The black-and-white illustrations' realism echoes the visual influences of the Black Power period. Art and text present an unflinching look at the physical and verbal racist violence of the time. This evocative undertaking extends histories of 20th-century Black struggles for new generations, reminding us to continue to be brave, courageous, and organize for change. Authentic and inspiring." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
This information about Victory. Stand! was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Tommie Smith is a former Olympic track-and-field gold medalist. He lives outside Atlanta, Georgia.
Derrick Barnes has received both a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Author Honor. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Dawud Anyabwile is an Emmy Award–winning illustrator and comic artist based in Atlanta, Georgia.
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