Much Bigger Than a Hamburger: Disrupting Problematic Picturebook Depictions of the Civil Rights Movement

Authors

Keywords:

Children's literature, Civil Rights Movement, counterstory, civic action, social studies

Abstract

While more diverse children's literature about youth activism is available than ever before, popular picturebooks often perpetuate problematic tropes about the Civil Rights Movement. In this article, we conduct a critical content analysis of the award-winning picturebook The Youngest Marcher and contrast the book's content to a critical race counterstory of the Movement focused on the collective struggle for justice in the face of racial violence. We argue for the need to engage students in civic media literacy through a critical race lens and offer ways to nuance the limited narratives often found in children's literature.

Author Biographies

Noreen Naseem Rodriguez, Iowa State University

Noreen Naseem Rodríguez is an assistant professor of elementary social studies in the School of Education at Iowa State University.

Amanda Vickery, University of North Texas

Amanda Vickery is an assistant professor of Social Studies Education/Race in Education at the University of North Texas.

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Published

2020-08-31

How to Cite

Rodriguez, N. N., & Vickery, A. (2020). Much Bigger Than a Hamburger: Disrupting Problematic Picturebook Depictions of the Civil Rights Movement. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 22(2), 109–128.

Issue

Section

2020 Special Issue (Peer-Reviewed)