A Place at the Table: Struggles for Equality in America - Hardcover

Grade 7 Up-After reading this collection of 12 essays, one begins to wonder why it is that in a country dedicated to freedom and equal rights for all, so many of our citizens have been marginalized. Many people believe that religious tolerance was a part of our early heritage; but what of the Baptists who were imprisoned in the 1700s for preaching their beliefs? Rosa Parks is now a household name, but how many students know about Elizabeth Jennings? A full century before Parks, Jennings sued and won a case after she defied a conductor, boarded a "whites-only" trolley car, and was forcibly evicted. The Trail of Tears is well known, but what of the Ponca tribe, divided by government cruelty? From ethnic persecution (including Asian, Mexican-American) to rights for gays, lesbians, and the disabled, this compilation includes lesser-known, often unsung heroes and heroines who fought for their rights. Funded by the Teaching Tolerance project, this volume is part of a larger packet of materials aimed at teaching students respect for others. Well illustrated with original photos and reproductions of documents that reinforce the powerful message of the text, A Place at the Table is a must-read for classes studying American history, government, politics, or law. It is also a valuable addition for schools and libraries looking to add multicultural materials to their collections.
Laurie Edwards, West Shore School District, Camp Hill, PA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

"From ethnic persecution (including Asian, Mexican-American) to rights for gays, lesbians, and the disabled, this compilation includes lesser-known, often unsung heroes and heroines who fought for their rights....Well illustrated with original photos and reproductions of documents that
reinforce the powerful message of the text, A Place at the Table is a must-read for classes studying American history, governments, politics, or law."--School Library Journal

"Well-illustrated....Sidebars provide additional information related to the main topics, making the volume more appealing to high school students. Each chapter could be used as the basis for a long-term discussion of the issues it discusses, or the whole book could be used as a research
resource. Either way, students in government, history, or contemporary issues classes would find this volume helpful. Recommended." --Book Report

"Fleming compiles articles written by various authors about the struggle for equality in America....Will appeal to teens because it does not read like a standard book. The visual interaction of various documents and photographs provide a feast of information."--VOYA