Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, & Dawud Anyabwile

Bibliographic Information:

Title: Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice

Authors: Tommie Smith, Derrick Barne, & Dawud Anayabwile

Publisher: Norton Young Readers

Copyright Date: September 2022

ISBN: 9781324003908

Format: Graphic Novel

Genre: Nonfiction/ Sports/ Memoir/ BIPOC Voice

Awards: YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction-2023

Interest Level: Grades 9-12 (Junior Library Guild)

Plot Summary:

Victory. Stand! is the memoir of Tommie Smith and Olympic Gold Medalist and civil rights activist. This graphic novel explains the amazing life of an American hero. Born to sharecroppers and growing up with 11 siblings, Tommie describes the journey he went through discovering racial injustices around him. The graphic novel not only depicts the path that Tommie took to become a human rights hero but also illustrates historical events that took place during his life that lead to the civil rights movement and the atrocities that were committed by White people on Black Americans.

Author Background:

Tommie Smith was born on a farm in Texas, and has 11 siblings. He is the son of a sharecropper and at a young age discovered that things were not right, that he and his family were treated differently because of their skin. Tommie moved to California when he was a kid with his family, and eventually went to San Jose State College (what is now SJSU, Go Spartans!) on a scholarship for multiple sports (track and Basketball). He held 11 world titles and won and Olympic Gold Medal where he raised a fist for justice. He went on to coach and teach at Oberlin College and Santa Monica College. "Dr. Smith has received many awards and accolades, including the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage and the Courage of Conscience Award from the Peace Abbey Foundation for his lifelong commitment to athletics, education, and human rights" (VistoryStandBook, n.d.).

Derrick Barnes grew up in Missouri and now lives in North Carolina. He graduated from Jackson State University and was the first African American male creative copywriter of Hallmark Cards. He is the author of Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, I Am Every Good Thing, The King of Kindergarten, and The Queen of Kindergarten.

Dawud Anyabwile won an Emmy and two Glyph Comics Awards as a comics artist. He is the founder and CEO of Big City Entertainment. "He has received the Key to Kansas City for Outstanding Service to Children and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention." Some other books Dawud has illustrated are Clean Getaway by Nic Stone, Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander, and Monster by Walter Dean Myers. (VistoryStandBook, n.d.).

Critical Evaluation:

The back third of this book had me sobbing. I was overcome with so many emotions whilst reading this nonfiction. Like many students I learned about the civil rights movement, the key figures throughout the movement, and about the atrocities that occurred. However, in a textbook it is done in a way that is distant. You hear names and events, but often words that make up names on a page of people you do not know fail to connect. Victory. Stand! puts faces to these names, illustrates the atrocities, and connects you to the people from history. You understand them, you know them, you fall for them. They become real, friends, and the events they face and the emotions they feel become more than facts in a textbook. Reading this book opens eyes and ears for many and creates a space for a multitude of emotions such as hope, sorrow, and pride for the Black community. This graphic novel is illustrated with styles seen in a superhero comic, which is fitting because Tommie Smith is a superhero!

Creative Use for Library Program:

Stand! Art Contest- Tommie Smith used his talents and his platform to fight for what he believed in, human rights and racial equality (today equity). Librarians hold a contest where teens draw or take picture of themselves emulating Tommie Smiths victory stance in an area that they are talented in or have a voice. Teens will learn and find new and creative ways to stand up for what they believe in and consider new ways they can make a difference in their community like Tommie Smith. Winner of the contest wins a mega phone and the art/photo can become a library card.

Activists Jeopardy Night- Teens come to the library for a fun/educational game night of Activist Jeopardy. With tons of snacks and prizes, teens will compete and learn about different civil rights activists in different areas like sports, film/theater, religion, art, music, and education. (See Colin in Black and White)

Speed Round Book Talk:

Tommie Smith one of 12 kids, a sharecropper, a world record breaker, an Olympic Gold Medalist, and an Activist. What a life! Tommie Smith real life superhero, check out this issue in Victory. Stand!

Potential Challenge Issues or Defense Preparation:

Because this book is a memoir, it is impossible to discredit anything that Tommie Smith experienced in his life, making this book and its story all the more impactful. While this nonfiction does include historical events, they are told in a very factual way that removes any subjectivity. The artwork displaying hate crimes and atrocities committed by white people are intense but they happened and it would be a disservice to not be truthful. This book is not intended to be warm and fuzzy but to express the realness of challenges and injustices that Tommie Smith and other Black Americans experienced.

Reason for Inclusion:

This is an amazing nonfiction graphic novel. I am including this book because it is an essential for a nonfiction collection. Nonfiction meets superhero comics, what teen wouldn't want to read that?! Tommie Smith is a historical character that is important to know but unfortunately many do not. Teens should learn of his story and how he went from a sharecropper farmer to olympian to one of the loudest voices in human rights history

Check Out:

Below is Derrick Barnes website, check out what he's up to and an interview with Dawud Anyabwile by We Are Here Lit!

References:

Barnes, D. (n.d.). Home. Accessed July 2024 from https://derrickdbarnes.com/

Goodreads. (n.d.). Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice. Accessed July 2024 from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60165401-victory-stand

Junior Library Guild. (n.d.). Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice. Accessed July 2024 from https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/victory-stand-raising-my-fist-for-justic-9781324003908j

Norton Young Readers. (2022, June). Dr. Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes discuss VICTORY. STAND! [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/JMwVFkzkdf8?feature=shared

VictoryStandBook. (n.d.). Accessed July 2024 from https://www.victorystandbook.com/

We Are Here Lit!. (2024, April). We Are Here Lit!: with Dawud Anyabwile, Award-Winning Artist & Illustrator [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/0AB8zjN4V9U?feature=shared