'Turning 15 On The Road To Freedom'

“Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom”, is an emotional memoir about the 1965 voting rights movement in Selma, Alabama. The book was written by Elspeth Leacock and Susan Buckley as told by Lynda Blackmon. Miss Blackmon, a black girl who grew up poor during the civil rights era in Selma chronicles her; nine arrests, love for Dr. King, and determination to help blacks win the right to vote. She details how the children in Selma helped to pass the 15th amendment to the United States Constitution, by peacefully marching in the streets. Miss Blackmon account is written as if she was still that defiant 15 year old girl marching in the streets of Selma. She uses informal speech, simple words and short sentences. For example, “We were poor then, but I never knew it. I can’t remember a day in my life when I went hungry, even after my mother died when I was seven years old” (Leacock and Buckley, 2015, p. 15). Additionally, the tone of the story changes to match the feelings being evoked, such as: the tone is lively when Miss Blackmon talks about hearing Dr. King speak and marching for voting rights; the tone gets solemn when she discusses …show more content…
The authors’ use of black and white photos throughout the book add to the emotional storyline. Specifically, on page 14 there is a photo of the Ku Klux Klan donned in white sheets and on page 56 a photo shows police tear gassing protestors. As a result, these pictures are horrifying and illustrate the unjust society in 1965. Similarly, illustrator, PJ Loughran’s expressive and bold drawings bring the story to life. For example, the sketch on page 59 shows Miss Blackmon in the arms of man after being serious injured in a march by a bigot. This illustration displays the violence and discrimination aimed at Miss Blackmon and the other marchers. The visual presentations in the book enhance the reader’s ability to comprehend these