Jerrianne Hayslett: Valiant Vel, Kartoniert / Broschiert

Klappentext

"This entertaining and extensively researched biography of Vel Phillips will give young readers insight into an inspiring figure in Milwaukee's and Wisconsin's civil rights history. The book begins by dramatizing an incident that Vel experienced in high school, when she won a speech contest despite her teacher's racist discouragement. It then provides insight into what made Vel want to become a lawyer and shares her journey toward fulfilling that goal. The first several chapters of the book, which focus on Vel's childhood and young-adulthood, are based heavily on Phillips' unpublished partial autobiography, which the author gained access to through Vel's son, Michael. This has allowed the author to include scenes, incidents, and insights into Phillips' early life that the many articles, documentaries, and websites about her don't include. The rest of the book focuses on the story of Vel's historic election to the Milwaukee Common Council and her six-year fight to pass a citywide fair housing ordinance. While Vel worked tirelessly to convince her fellow alderman to pass her ordinance, Father James Groppi and the NAACP Youth Council led 200 nights of dramatic, historic demonstrations--all in support of Vel's ordinance and the effort to provide Milwaukee's Black residents with better housing opportunities and desegregate the city's long-segregated neighborhoods. An epilogue shares some of the highlights of Vel's post-Common Council career. Back matter will include an author's note, bibliography, and source notes that detail the author's extensive research"--