ACCESS DIGITIZED EDITION
Guide/Reviews Database
SPORTS
Davis, Amira Rose

Go, Wilma, Go!: Wilma Rudolph, from Athlete to Activist

40 pp. | Bloomsbury | July, 2024 | Trade ISBN 9781547612093 $18.99 | Ebook ISBN 9781547612109 $13.29
(2) K-3 Illustrated by Michael G. Long. This inspiring biography of Rudolph (1940–1994), the three-time Olympic gold medalist in track, centers on her work as a civil rights activist. After her Olympic success, she traveled throughout Europe and discovered life was different: "In America, they push me around because I'm a Negro. Here in Europe, they pushed me to the front." In Athens at the beaches, all races could swim together; in London any person could sit anywhere on a bus; in Berlin everyone ate together in restaurants. But back home, the community pool did not allow Black people to swim in it; restaurants would not serve Black people; and Black people could only ride in the back of city buses. When the leaders of Rudolph's hometown of Clarksville, Mississippi, planned a celebration honoring her, she refused to attend until Black people could participate in the activities. Facing objections, she persisted and, at least for that day, Clarksville desegregated to honor its hometown celebrity. Davis and Long's inviting text realistically portrays the subject's athletic prowess and her determined commitment to racial equality. Barlow's inventive collages of hand-painted cut paper and various mixed media are well matched to the narrative and wonderfully capture Rudolph's essence. Back matter includes an author's note that provides more information about Rudolph's advocacy and how her early life was shaped by segregation.
Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

RELATED 

SPORTS

It's Outta Here!
by Doeden, Matt
SPORTS

Flip!
by Muirhead, Margaret
SPORTS

Sarah and the Big Wave
by Tsui, Bonnie
SPORTS

Sakamoto's Swim Club
by Abery, Julie
SPORTS

Florence Griffith Joyner
by Williams-Garcia, Rita
More

Get connected. Join our global community of more than 200,000 librarians and educators.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?