Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice

Another audioSYNC listen, Claudette Colvin by Phillip Hoose is the first of the season to feel as though it is particularly aimed at a teenage audience. That said, the book is a fascinating listen and taught me much about the realities of segregated life in 1950s America. For example, I didn’t previously know the actual origins of the phrase ‘Jim Crow’. I particularly liked the way the side-bar sections were read. These little snapshots of historical information about prominent people and events complimented the main text allowing greater understanding of issues such as the practical logistics of staging the Bus Boycott. The multi-narrator storytelling is a great device that really brings Claudette’s words to life. Her resolve to help bring about change, together with her disappointment at the lack of support from adult activists in Montgomery made for a poignant tale. The brief words of the author at the end explaining how this book came about were an interesting touch. For me however, the strongest feeling I am left with after hearing Claudette’s story together with my other recent listen, October Mourning, is one of disappointment in America itself. The country is true melting pot of practically every people, yet only relatively few can really be themselves and thrive.