A Ride to Remember tells how a community came together—both black and white—to make a change. When Sharon Langley was born in the early 1960s, many amusement parks were segregated, and African-American families were not allowed entry. This book reveals how in the summer of 1963, due to demonstrations and public protests, the Gwynn Oak Amusement Park in Maryland became desegregated and opened to all for the first time. Co-author Sharon Langley was the first African-American child to ride the carousel. This was on the same day of Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Langley’s ride to remember demonstrated the possibilities of King’s dream.
My Review:
” Nobody is first and nobody is last. Everyone is equal when you ride a carousel”
I was so excited to read this fantastic nonfiction biography about segregation and the people who stood up to fight it. The story is told in a first-person narrative and follows Sharon Langley’s parents as they tell her the story of her first caracole ride. The talk about how the amusement park was segregated. Only white families were allowed to participate in the activities until a group of people decided to take a stand and fight for equality. The carousel becomes a symbol of the larger, nation-wide civil rights movement.
Amy did a fantastic of taking Sharon’s story and creating a moving and well-researched story. I loved learning about this unknown piece of history. The illustrations by Flood Cooper are stunning and capture the strength and resilience of people during this time. The back matter has a note from Sharon Langley as well as photos of her on that iconic day. The back of the book also has a time that shares more information with readers.
This is a terrific book to share during black history month about the amazing events that changed during the time of Martin King
Ages 6 and up
40 Pages
To buy this book in my shop https://bookshop.org/lists/civil-rights-movement
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