Go, Wilma, Go!

May 1, 2024
A tribute to the renowned Olympian and Civil Rights activist. Wilma Rudolph's youth and early successes get once-overs in the afterword, but the gracefully written main narrative kicks in after her 1960 Olympics triumph--after her observations that people of diverse races freely used buses, beaches, and restaurants in European countries led her to comment that in America, "They push me around because I'm a Negro. Here in Europe, they push me to the front." Then, learning upon her return to the U.S. that her segregated Clarksville, Tennessee, hometown was planning a "Wilma Rudolph Day," she successfully pressured the town authorities into opening the parade and banquet to all. In paper collage scenes with digital touch-ups, Pinkney Barlow deftly captures her subject's determination both on and off the track as well as filling in the backgrounds with scenes of racially diverse crowds both overseas and at the town's special celebration in Tennessee. Did that celebration bring segregation in Clarksville to an end? No, the authors frankly admit, but Wilma went on "pushing and pulling and protesting," as all who still see her as an example should, "because the race to freedom is not a sprint, but a marathon. Let's go!" Places salutary focus not just on Rudolph's athletic gifts but also on her strength of character. (Picture-book biography. 6-8)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2024
Grades K-3 Beginning with 20-year-old Black runner Wilma Rudolph winning three gold medals at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, this picture-book biography tells how her travels afterward, visiting several European countries, changed her life. After growing up in Clarksville, Tennessee, during the Jim Crow era, she was experiencing daily life in integrated cities in Europe, where restaurants, swimming pools, and buses treated everyone more fairly, regardless of race. When town leaders in Clarksville planned "Wilma Rudolph Day," a grand celebration including a parade, a banquet, and other festivities, she refused to participate unless the they would change local laws that discriminated against Black residents. The parade and the banquet were integrated, but it took great patience and persistence to desegregate the town. The main story is told in broad strokes, while the back matter describes the remainder of Rudolph's life and the changes that she worked for over many years. Throughout the book, lively, mixed-media artwork combines painted elements and cut-paper collage with digital finishes. A welcome tribute to Wilma Rudolph's accomplishments and her legacy as a civil rights activist.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from June 7, 2024

Gr 1-3-In this picture book biography, Wilma Rudolph's enduring and inspiring legacy is explored. Immediately following the 1960 Olympic Games held in Rome, where she took home three gold medals for the United States, Rudolph toured Europe, noticing how "all kinds of people" coexist and engage in daily activities together, from sitting on a beach to riding a bus. This was in stark contrast to her hometown of Clarksville, TN, where Jim Crow laws prevailed. Upon returning home, her town planned a day in honor of her victories. Rudolph agreed to participate on the condition that Black people would be included in every aspect of the day. The day was a success; the town remained segregated. Rudolph's desire for change and determination to see it happen remained steadfast, through peaceful protests and her participation in the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the text, the authors thoughtfully explore Rudolph's athletic victories as well as her hardships as a child and in her adult life. Eye-catching mixed-media illustrations are equally thought-provoking, depicting Rudolph's unwavering perseverance throughout her life. An author's note provides additional information about Rudolph's life and the Civil Rights Movement. VERDICT An engaging and insightful biography of an American hero-highly recommended for purchase.-Olivia Gorecke

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 8, 2024
Davis, Long, and Pinkney Barlow spotlight athlete Wilma Rudolph (1940–1994), who defied odds to become an Olympic track-and-field champion before embracing activism. After winning three gold medals at the 1960 Olympics, Rudolph tours Greece, England, and Germany, where her experiences contrast with her Clarksville, Tenn., hometown: “In America, they push me around because I’m a Negro. Here in Europe, they push me to the front.” Back in Clarksville, she refuses to attend a segregated celebration in her honor, “unless the leaders include Black people in everything, in the parade and the banquet.” Mixed-media art that includes hand-painted cut-paper collage and digital renderings gives a dioramic feel to scenes of Rudolph running, traveling, and resisting in this work about a figure who remained resolute “because the race to freedom is not a sprint, but a marathon.” An authors’ note concludes. Ages 5–8.

September 1, 2024
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. Pauletta Brown Bracy

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
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.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)