About this item

An incredible memoir from Sharon Robinson about one of the most important years of the civil rights movement. In January 1963, Sharon Robinson turns thirteen the night before George Wallace declares on national television "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever" in his inauguration speech as governor of Alabama. It is the beginning of a year that will change the course of American history. As the daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, Sharon has opportunities that most people would never dream of experiencing. Her family hosts multiple fund-raisers at their home in Connecticut for the work that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is doing. Sharon sees her first concert after going backstage at the Apollo Theater. And her whole family attends the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. But things don't always feel easy for Sharon. She is one of the only Black children in her wealthy Connecticut neighborhood. Her older brother, Jackie Robinson Jr., is having a hard time trying to live up to his father's famous name, causing some rifts in the family. And Sharon feels isolated-struggling to find her role in the civil rights movement that is taking place across the country. This is the story of how one girl finds her voice in the fight for justice and equality.



About the Author

Sharon Robinson

After a twenty-year career as a nurse midwife, Sharon Robinson shifted her focus to become an author and educational consultant for Major League Baseball (MLB) . She has written five books about her father, including Jackie Robinson: American Hero (Scholastic, 2013) Jackie's Gift: A true Story of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Jackie Robinson with illustrator E.B. Lewis (Viking, 2010) , Testing the Ice: A true story of Jackie Robinson with illustrator, Kadir Nelson (Scholastic, 2009) . She has also written two middle-grade novels. Her next book, Under the Same Sun (Scholastic, 2014) , features her mother and will be in bookstores January 2014. In her work with MLB, Ms Robinson directs the national character education program: Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In Life. The program provides kids with stategies to deal with obstacles in their life. It culminates in a national essay contest with great prizes including laptop computers, school visits from Sharon, and a trip to MLB's All-Star Game! Now in it's 18th year, Breaking Barriers has reached over 22 million children. Sharon Robinson lives in Sarasota, Florida. Learn more about Sharon and her books at www.sharonrobinsonink.com.



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