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March (Trilogy Slipcase Set) Paperback – September 6, 2016

by John Lewis (Author), Andrew Aydin (Author), Nate Powell (Illustrator)
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Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

Discover the inside story of the Civil Rights Movement through the eyes of one of its most iconic figures, Congressman John Lewis. March is the award-winning, #1 bestselling graphic novel trilogy recounting his life in the movement, co-written with Andrew Aydin and drawn by Nate Powell. This commemorative set contains all three volumes of March in a beautiful slipcase.

#1 New York Times and Washington Post Bestseller
First graphic novel to receive a Robert F. Kennedy Book Award
Winner of the Eisner Award
A Coretta Scott King Honor Book
One of YALSA's Outstanding Books for the College Bound
One of Reader's Digest's Graphic Novels Every Grown-Up Should Read
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  1. Print length
    576 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Top Shelf Productions
  4. Publication date
    September 6, 2016
  5. Reading age
    13 - 16 years
  6. Dimensions
    6.75 x 2 x 10.19 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1603093958
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1603093958
  9. See all details
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From the Publisher

March

March

March

March

March

March

March

March

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Essential reading... March is a moving and important achievement... the story of a true American superhero." - USA Today


"There is perhaps no more important modern book to be stocked in American school libraries than March." - The Washington Post


"An incredible accomplishment. It is the history of John Lewis, the Civil Rights Movement and his role in it... a book that explains - more deeply than anything else I've ever read - the methods and the moral foundations of the civil rights movement, how civil rights activists did what they did and won what they won, and how they had the strength to do it in the most difficult circumstances imaginable." - Rachel Maddow


"March is one of the most important graphic novels ever created - an extraordinary presentation of an extraordinary life, and proof that young people can change the world. I'm stunned by the power of these comics, and grateful that Congressman Lewis's story will enlighten and inspire future generations of readers and leaders." - Raina Telgemeier


"Congressman John Lewis has been a resounding moral voice in the quest for equality for more than 50 years, and I'm so pleased that he is sharing his memories of the Civil Rights Movement with America's young leaders. In March, he brings a whole new generation with him across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, from a past of clenched fists into a future of outstretched hands." - President Bill Clinton


"March offers a poignant portrait of an iconic figure that both entertains and edifies, and deserves to be placed alongside other historical graphic memoirs like Persepolis and Maus." - Entertainment Weekly

About the Author

Congressman John Lewis was a leader in the American Civil Rights Movement. He was chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and played a key role in the struggle to end segregation. Despite more than 40 arrests, physical attacks, and serious injuries, John Lewis remained a devoted advocate of the philosophy of nonviolence. He is co-author of the first comics work to ever win the National Book Award, the #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novel memoir trilogy MARCH, written with Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell. He is also the recipient of numerous awards from national and international institutions including the Lincoln Medal, the John F. Kennedy "Profile in Courage" Lifetime Achievement Award, and the NAACP Spingarn Medal, among many others.

Andrew Aydin is creator and co-author of the #1 New York Times best-selling graphic memoir series, MARCH. Co-authored with Rep. Lewis and illustrated by Nate Powell, MARCH is the first comics work to ever win the National Book Award, and is a recipient of the Will Eisner Comics Industry Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award Special Recognition, and the Coretta Scott King Book Award Author Honor, among other honors.

Nate Powell is a New York Times best-selling graphic novelist born in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1978. He began self-publishing at age 14, and graduated from School of Visual Arts in 2000. His work includes March, You Don't Say, Any Empire, Swallow Me Whole, The Silence Of Our Friends, The Year Of The Beasts, and Rick Riordan's The Lost Hero. Powell is the first and only cartoonist ever to win the National Book Award. Powell has discussed his work at the United Nations, as well as on MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show and CNN.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Top Shelf Productions; Slp edition (September 6, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 576 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1603093958
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1603093958
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 16 years
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.75 x 2 x 10.19 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the authors

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Previous page
  1. John Lewis

    John Lewis

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Congressman John Lewis was a leader in the American Civil Rights Movement. He was chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and played a key role in the struggle to end segregation. Despite more than 40 arrests, physical attacks, and serious injuries, John Lewis remained a devoted advocate of the philosophy of nonviolence. He is co-author of the first comics work ever to win the National Book Award, the #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novel memoir trilogy MARCH, written with Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell. He is also the recipient of numerous awards from national and international institutions including the Lincoln Medal, the John F. Kennedy "Profile in Courage" Lifetime Achievement Award, and the NAACP Spingarn Medal, among many others. He lives in Atlanta, GA.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Nate Powell

    Nate Powell

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Nate Powell is a National Book Award-winning cartoonist who began self-publishing comics as an Arkansas teenager in 1992.

    His work includes the new graphic novel FALL THROUGH and a comics adaptation of James Loewen’s LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME, as well as SAVE IT FOR LATER, civil rights icon John Lewis' MARCH trilogy and its follow-up RUN, viral comics essay "About Face", and graphic novels COME AGAIN, TWO DEAD, ANY EMPIRE, and SWALLOW ME WHOLE. He has published nonfiction comics and writing for The Washington Post, The Nib, Popula, Booklist, CNN, and The Weather Channel.

    Powell’s work has also received a Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, multiple Eisner and Ignatz Awards, ALA and YALSA distinctions, the Comic-Con International Inkpot Award, and the CXC Transformative Work Award. He has discussed his work at the United Nations, as well as on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, CNN, NPR, PBS, and Free Speech TV.

    He lives in Bloomington, Indiana.

    See more on the author's page
  3. Andrew Aydin

    Andrew Aydin

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    ANDREW AYDIN is creator and co-author of the #1 New York Times best-selling graphic memoir series, MARCH, which chronicles the life of Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis, as well as the sequel, RUN. Co-authored with Rep. Lewis and illustrated by Nate Powell, MARCH is the first comics work to ever win the National Book Award, and is a recipient of the Coretta Scott King Book Award, the Printz Award, the Sibert Medal, the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, the Will Eisner Comics Industry Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award Special Recognition, and the Walter Award, among others.

    Aydin is Artist-in-Residence at the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII) at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Aydin formerly served as Digital Director & Policy Advisor to Rep. Lewis in Washington, D.C. A graduate of Trinity College in Hartford and Georgetown University in Washington, Andrew wrote his master’s thesis on the history and impact of Martin Luther King & The Montgomery Story. Andrew often participates in reading programs with incarcerated youth, speaks at schools and universities, and has appeared as a guest on the Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, CBS This Morning, NPR, CNN, the BBC and many other outlets.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
2,162 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the content great for teaching kids graphic novels. They also appreciate the illustrations as integral to the story. Readers describe the civil rights movement as an important work of history and autobiography. They find the emotional impact very moving and eye-opening. They describe the book series as amazing and well-written. They say it's worth the price and a wonderful present.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ReadabilityCivil rights movementContentValueEmotional impactVisualsBook seriesGiftability
96 customers mention "Readability"93 positive3 negative

Customers find the book to be a moving graphic novel that sheds light on issues. They also appreciate the great prose, great art, and an important message. Readers also say it's a beautiful illustrated book that's honest, accurate, and a great series to read for anyone.

"...A final note on the wonderfully expressive art. The storytelling is clear, and the style is very reminiscent of African-American styles that sprang..." Read more

"...I also loved the artwork by Nate Powell for all three March books!!" Read more

"...However, getting the story from his perspective was so powerful. Especially as a graphic novel...." Read more

"...This book chronicles one the defining moments in American history, the movement to free African Americans from the oppressive apartheid policies of..." Read more

63 customers mention "Civil rights movement"63 positive0 negative

Customers find the book an important work of history and autobiography. They also describe it as an inspiring trilogy, impactful, and a great introduction to the civil rights movement. Customers also mention that the case complements the literature it houses, and the past is brought back to life in the vivid images.

"This series is beautiful and moving, informative, uplifting, and vitally important...." Read more

"...The story and the art are perfectly matched. So, so, so, powerful and important. Read them." Read more

"...This is truly a moving story of bravery in the face of death, a peaceful protest that was met with brutality, making the evening news and awakening..." Read more

"...Its really good summary what's happening relating to March in 60s's before it finally passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 & Voting Rights Act of 1965..." Read more

26 customers mention "Content"26 positive0 negative

Customers find the content great for teaching graphic novels to kids. They also say the book can be appreciated by readers of all ages, holds their attention, and is compelling.

"...It's EXTREMELY important for children to know the true history and details of the Civil Rights Movement, especially from the late Congressman John..." Read more

"...novel format gave the Civil Rights struggle an immediacy that was very compelling. I have always respected John Lewis, but now I am in awe of him...." Read more

"...It's very moving, and educational even for people who thought they knew a thing or two about this struggle...." Read more

"This is a great way to introduce kids (or adults) to the civil rights movement, from John Lewis' perspective...." Read more

12 customers mention "Value"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book set worth the price and a good read for anyone interested in the Civil Rights Movement.

"Beautiful illustrated book set "March" about John Lewis' life. Good price and speedy shipping from Goodwill." Read more

"The slipcase set is an excellent way to buy and enjoy this moving series of graphic novels...." Read more

"...Definitely worth it and it arrived earlier than I expected." Read more

"I can’t recommend this highly enough. Definitely worth the read for anyone interested in the Civil Rights Movement and background into events..." Read more

9 customers mention "Emotional impact"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very moving, exciting, and inspirational. They also say it's eye-opening to a disturbing time in America's history.

"This series is beautiful and moving, informative, uplifting, and vitally important...." Read more

"...It's very moving, and educational even for people who thought they knew a thing or two about this struggle...." Read more

"...It's such a moving and important story, especially with everything that's happened in 2016 and that might happen over the next 4 years." Read more

"Very moving and eye-opening to a very disturbing time in America's history ...." Read more

9 customers mention "Visuals"7 positive2 negative

Customers find the illustrations in the book integral to the story.

"...People need to know this story. The illustrations are so integral to this story...." Read more

"...The writing was great and clear. The pictures make the story feel more personal...." Read more

"...because I prefer my own mind's eye when I read, but the illustrations in this series help." Read more

"...Love the story but the graphic format took some getting used to." Read more

8 customers mention "Book series"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book series amazing, wonderful, and unique. They also say the boxed set is a wonderful way to get the entire series and preserve it for future.

"...highly recommends this work, and this boxed set is a wonderful way to get the entire series and preserve it for future generations." Read more

"The slipcase set is an excellent way to buy and enjoy this moving series of graphic novels...." Read more

"An amazing and powerful trilogy. It follows the journey of John Lewis, and recounts his life/experiences throughout the civil rights movement...." Read more

"This series was fascinating, and I think the graphic novel format really suits the story...." Read more

7 customers mention "Giftability"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a wonderful present and appreciate the beautiful packaging.

"This was purchased as a gift for my son. The packaging is beautiful and the books are holding his attention. I could not ask for more!..." Read more

"W#hat a wonderful grandchild gift!..." Read more

"This was a wonderful Christmas gift. They couldn't stop talking about it." Read more

"Very nice packaging for a supremely important story. Buy this!" Read more

Thank you Congressman J. Lewis!
5 out of 5 stars
Thank you Congressman J. Lewis!
My 12 year old has been excited to read this trilogy every day after school and in the evenings when he is laying in bed. The illustrations are very captivating, and the story is well told.My son talks no about the trilogy:"I think the marchers are doing a great thing. At the beginning of the march John Lewis only had a few friends going along with it. They tested each other to learn to not fight back no matter what was happening to them. 'We just want rights.' Police talking to the marchers after they'd been put in jail: 'We'll take your mattresses away if you don't shut up.' Lewis: 'We don't care, we just want our rights.' Eventually the police let them out. They just want rights."Thank you Congresman John Lewis for your struggles for human rights, and for putting out this series making the story of your time more accessible to all.
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Top reviews from the United States

Keith Bowden, aka Godzylla
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2017
Verified Purchase
This series is beautiful and moving, informative, uplifting, and vitally important. It was so when the series was conceived and begun, but moreso in the intervening years as little by little the progress outlined in these books, forged by the civil rights movement decades ago, is being whittled away.

I hope to see a day when this is merely history and not a warning, a call to vigilance. These books should be required reading in public schools across the nation. Representative John Lewis is a living national treasure, the last living legend of the 20th century civil rights era. That makes him sound like Captain America, and in a way he is, except he's real.

March covers John's early life and the beginnings of his involvement in peaceful protest. He embraced nonviolence fully then and continues to do so today. March rightfully and clearly outlines the events and the atmosphere that lead to the need for the March from Selma to Montgomery, and the marches that preceded it.

The March continues today, as voting rights have been turned back, as hate and bigotry have once again moved to the forefront of our nation and government. Let this be our guide to resistance. The moral arc of the universe is long (the key word here), and it bounces as it tends toward justice. But it only moves there if we will it.

A final note on the wonderfully expressive art. The storytelling is clear, and the style is very reminiscent of African-American styles that sprang from the era, but seems strongly influenced by manga art styles as well.
48 people found this helpful
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L. A. Vitale
5.0 out of 5 stars Well Done!
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2021
Verified Purchase
I read March (Trilogy Slipcase Edition) by John Lewis during Black History Month this year. I've had the March trilogy in my 'to be read' pile for quite a while now. So I was thrilled to finally read all three books in the March trilogy as learning more about the life of Civil Rights legend and activist, John Lewis, is a must for anyone wanting to learn more about the Civil Rights Movement in general.

By reading the March trilogy, I learned a lot about the Civil Rights Movement with regards to many of the major events. Additionally, I enjoyed reading about many of the major movers and shakers and organizations that helped propel the Civil Rights Movement forward, which eventually lead to the successful passing of both the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Of course, a large focus of the March trilogy was on the early life and the instrumental role John Lewis played during the Civil Rights Movement, which I found fascinating... And of course, two of the major topics discussed in the March trilogy were the march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama (also known as Bloody Sunday) and the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

I highly recommend reading the March (Trilogy Slipcase Edition) by John Lewis. I also loved the artwork by Nate Powell for all three March books!!
5 people found this helpful
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Heidi (YA Bibliophile)
5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous set, powerful story
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2017
Verified Purchase
I read March: Book One at the end of 2016 and absolutely loved it. My library copies are always checked out so I didn’t read books two and three until last month (when I purchased the slipcase edition mentioned in the summary… it’s gorgeous!) I know everyone is saying it but I’m adding my voice: these books are incredible!

John Lewis is one of my heroes. I’ve read numerous books for teens about the Civil Rights Movement. Of course he is mentioned time and again. However, getting the story from his perspective was so powerful. Especially as a graphic novel. I had chills the whole time I was reading (especially book three!)

These books were hard to read for two main reasons. One, there’s the… I don’t know… shame? Seeing the injustices and the horrific ways African Americans were treated. I cannot wrap my head around it. The violence, the hate, the denial of even basic humanity. I just don’t understand it. And two, there’s the disgusting fact that so many of the quotes from speeches at the time, so many of the injustices people were facing, still apply today. How are we still here? We need to do better, to be better.

These books are incredible and I cannot recommend them highly enough. The story and the art are perfectly matched. So, so, so, powerful and important. Read them.
2 people found this helpful
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Keglan
5.0 out of 5 stars A Defining Moment in History
Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2018
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This is the story of John Lewis and his involvement with the Freedom Riders and the historic civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery. This book chronicles one the defining moments in American history, the movement to free African Americans from the oppressive apartheid policies of the South. This book is a must have. This is not only an important chronicle of our past, but a warning for our future, that the struggle isn't over yet. There are politicians right now actively doing what they can to suppress votes to help their side win more elections to hold on to their control of Congress, with much success. This is truly a moving story of bravery in the face of death, a peaceful protest that was met with brutality, making the evening news and awakening the consciousness of a nation.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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David F. Rego
5.0 out of 5 stars Great.
Reviewed in Canada on February 13, 2021
Verified Purchase
Great condition. Great story telling. Very educational and informative. Incredibly humbling.
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Rhamps
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in Germany on July 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
Good read
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MM
5.0 out of 5 stars Any teenager interested in politics and human rights will enjoy reading these books.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 25, 2021
Verified Purchase
13 year old is looking forward to reading these.
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Lara P.
5.0 out of 5 stars Storia da conoscere
Reviewed in Italy on July 10, 2017
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Bellissimo ed efficace nel riprodurre la durezza di quegli anni e di come ciò che sembra scontato non è lo è per nulla
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Pierre Lebeaupin
5.0 out of 5 stars Edifiant et toujours d'une grande actualité - Enlightening and still very current
Reviewed in France on August 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
(review also in English below)

En France, l'histoire de la lutte pour les droits civiques des noirs américains est peu connue, à part pour ce qui est de Rosa Parks et du boycott des bus de Montgomery qui s’ensuivit. Et c’est dommage, car ce ne fut pas la fin de la lutte, bien au contraire : beaucoup d’autres évènements durent se produire après ce boycott pour que la ségrégation prenne fin en général et que puissent être obtenues d’importantes législations garantissant les droits civiques des noirs américains. John Lewis (actuellement représentant du cinquième district de Georgie au Congrès) raconte ici le rôle majeur qu’il a joué lors de ces évènements, depuis les sit-in au comptoir des cafés de Nashville jusqu’à la marche de Selma à Montgomery qui donne leur nom à ces albums.

C’est ainsi que vous pourrez découvrir l’épopée des freedom riders, où des noirs prenaient le bus à Washington D.C. et tentaient de voir jusqu’où ils pourraient aller en direction du sud sans encombre, la marche sur Washington D.C. (celle-là même où Martin Luther King prononça son discours « I have a dream »), la tentative d’imposer des délégués alternatifs à la délégation entièrement blanche censée représenter l’état du Mississipi à la convention du parti démocrate pour la désignation du candidat à l’élection présidentielle de 1964, les manifestations visant à l'inscription effective des noirs américains sur les listes électorales, etc.

Mais plus encore, cela permet de découvrir que loin d’être improvisées, ces actions étaient minutieusement préparées, et étaient sous-tendues par une discipline et une philosophie de la non-violence sans lesquelles elles n’auraient pas prospéré. Et que au moment où on découvrait ces actions par les médias, c’était en général au moment de la réaction violente de la police ou de jeunes blancs, et que non seulement cette préparation, mais aussi les actions demeurées non-violentes par lesquelles l’action s’était entamée, restaient invisibles. Il est plus que temps de découvrir l'histoire du mouvement au-delà des images venant des actualités de l'époque.

Un aspect important est que les auteurs rendent compte de l'ambiance de l'époque, en particulier comment ont pu être reçues les actualités exterieures, même si, et c'est triste à dire, cela consiste beaucoup en l'annonce de l'assassinat de certains des protagonistes (John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, etc.). Aussi importante est l'influence d'autres luttes qui les ont inspirés, en particulier celle de Gandhi et celles pour l'independence dans les colonies en Afrique.

John Lewis nous fait aussi part des dissensions dans le mouvement, que ce soit à l'intérieur du SNCC qu'il représentait que avec les leaders des autres mouvements (NAACP, Core, etc., et le SCLC de Martin Luther King), y compris une session mémorable où les autres leaders le prient d'arrondir les angles du discours qu'il était sur le point de prononcer lors de la marche sur Washington D.C., de peur que le mouvement apparaisse comme communiste. Ces dissenssions incluent des problèmes intersectionnels qui se posaient déjà à l'époque, comme la place du féminisme dans le mouvement ou la nécessité stratégique de ne pas donner un rôle public à un militant à cause de son homosexualité, et en narrant tout cela John Lewis s'abstient de tout jugement de valeur, ce qui l'honore.

Je n'ai pas été déçu de la lecture, mais s'il me fallait trouver des points négatifs, je dirais que je trouve que l'histoire s'arrête un peu brutalement après la marche de Selma à Montgomery (il est vrai le point d'orgue de l'histoire), alors que la lutte ne s'est pas interrompue d'un seul coup, ne serait-ce que pour vérifier l'application des mesures garantissant les droits civiques. A ce sujet, même si l'action de John Lewis se situait résolument dans la rue, il aurait été interessant de plus voir l'articulation avec les luttes qui se sont déroulées dans le prétoire.

Qu'apporte le fait que ce soit en BD? Que ce soit clair: le but du format BD n'est pas ici de rendre l'histoire abordable aux jeunes lecteurs. Non pas tant que cela soit violent (cela l'est par moments), plutôt parce que cela reste d'un niveau de lecture exigeant, et que les choix artistiques (le fait que ce soit en noir et blanc, en particulier), même s'ils renforcent l'histoire, n'ont pas pour but de compenser une lecture incomplète. Il faut s'accrocher pour suivre, quite à revenir un peu en arrière de temps en temps. C'est didactique par moments, mais l'oppression est plus souvent évoquée à travers des anecdotes que expliquée en détail.

Pour moi, le format BD apporte de la profondeur dans la narration en permettant de rendre compte de certains éléments sans attirer l'attention dessus; par exemple il est possible de remarquer la présence de journalistes, ou de militants blancs participants aux actions, ce qui quelquefois s'avèrera avoir de l'importance par la suite, mais quelquefois non, comme dans la réalité. Plus généralement, le format BD, avec les diverses anecdotes racontées, sert surtout à créer une immersion dans l'ambiance de l'époque qui est plutôt réussie.

Enfin, si cette œuvre a pu être comparée à Maus ou Persépolis, le narrateur est ici un acteur de l'Histoire avec un grand H, et donc même si je n'ai pas eu particulièrement l'impression qu'il cherchait à se donner le beau rôle, il ne peut pas être considéré comme un simple témoin et cela a son importance.

Je recommande donc March pour la (re)découverte de ces évènements, ainsi que pour la force du discours de non-violence qu'il contient, qui sont tout à fait d'actualité par les temps qui courent.

Cette édition comprend les trois volumes et un coffret; les trois sont aussi disponibles individuellement, et chaque volume est également édité en français:  Wake up America, Tome 1 : 1940-1960   Wake up America, Tome 2 : 1960-1963   Wake up America, Tome 3 : 1963-1968 .

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In France, the history of the civil rights struggle of African-Americans is not well known, except for Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott that ensued. And that is unfortunate, as that was was not the end of the struggle, on the contrary: many other events had to occur after this boycott for segregation to generally end and for important legislation guaranteeing civil rights for African-Americans to be obtained. John Lewis (currently representative of Georgia's fifth district in Congress) relates here the major role he played in these events, from the sit-ins in front of the Nashville lunch counters to the march from Selma to Montgomery for which these books are named.

In there, you will discover the saga of the freedom riders, where African-Americans took the bus in Washington, D.C. and pressed on towards the south as far as they could, the march on Washington, D.C. (the very one where Martin Luther King delivered his "I have a dream" speech), the attempt to push for alternative delegates from the entirely white delegation supposed to represent Mississipi at the Democratic National Convention that would designate the candidate for the 1964 presidential election, the demonstrations towards getting African-Americans effectively registered as voters, etc.

But more than that, you will discover that far from being improvised, these actions were planned in detail, and were supported by a discipline and a philosophy of non-violence without which they would not have thrived. And that by the time these actions were getting media exposure, that was generally as a result of the violent reaction by police or young whites, and so that not only this planning, but also the still non-violent actions through which the action began, remained invisible. It is high time to discover the history of the movement beyond the images from the historical broadcasts.

An important aspect is how the creators convey the ambience of these times, particularly how outside news were received, even if, unfortunately, these news often were the announcement of the assassination of some of the protagonists (John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, etc.). Also important is the influence of other struggles which inspired them, in particular that of Gandhi and the protests for independence in the colonies in Africa.

John Lewis also reports on dissenssions in the mouvement, be it within SNCC which he represented or between the leaders of the other mouvements (NAACP, Core, etc. and Martin Luther King's SCLC), including a memorable session where the other leaders pressed him to file away the edges of the speech he was about to deliver to the march on Washington, D.C., for fear that the mouvement would appear to be communist. These dissenssions include intersectional issues that were already being raised at the time, such as the place of feminism in the mouvement or the strategic necessity to avoid giving a public role to a militant because of his homosexuality, and while relating all these John Lewis avoids being judgmental, which honors him.

I was not disappointed when reading, but if I had to find negatives, I would say I find the story ends a bit too abruptly after the march from Selma to Montgomery (admittedly the high point of the story), even though the struggle did not suddenly end, if only because of the need to verify application of the measures ensuring the enjoyment of civil rights. On this note, even if the action of John Lewis was resolutely taking place in the streets, it would have been interesting to see more the interworking with the struggles that were taking place in the courts.

What is the comics format bringing to the story? I'll be clear: the aim of the comics format here is not to make the story more accessible to younger readers. Not so much because it is violent (it is at times), rather because it keeps a high reading comprehension requirement, and that artistic choices (not the least which that of telling the story in black and white), even if they reinforce the story, do not aim to compensate for holes in reading comprehesion. You have to keep at it to follow, which may require backing up and rereading an earlier part from time to time. It is didactic at times, though the oppression is more often evoked through anecdotes than explained in detail.

For me, the comics format brings depth in the narration by allowing some elements to be reported without calling attention to them; for instance it is possible to notice the presence of journalists, or white militants contributing to the actions, which sometimes turns out to matter, but sometimes doesn't, as in real life. More generally, the comics format, with the variety of anecdotes told, mostly serves to immerse the reader in the ambience of the times, at which it is rather successful.

Lastly, even if this work has been compared to Maus or Persepolis, the narrator is here a party to History, and so even if I did not particularly get the impression he was trying to put himself in a favorable light, he cannot be considered a simple witness and that matters for some purposes.

As a result, I recommand March for the (re)discovery of these events, as well as for the strength of the non-violence message it contains, which are completely relevant in this day and age.

This edition includes all three books as well as a slipcase; all three are also individually available, and each book is also available in French:  Wake up America, Tome 1 : 1940-1960   Wake up America, Tome 2 : 1960-1963   Wake up America, Tome 3 : 1963-1968 .
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