Pictures at the Protest
Pictures at the Protest by Steven K. Smith, published by MyBoys3 Press on November 15, 2020, is a 224-page work written in English. This book explores the historical context of the public school closures in Prince Edward County, Virginia, during the late 1950s, a significant event tied to the refusal to desegregate schools. The narrative follows characters Sam, Derek, and Caitlin as they uncover long-hidden photographs from student protests, leading them to investigate the courageous actions of teenagers who stood for justice nearly sixty years ago.
Readers will find a blend of mystery and historical themes as the story unfolds against the backdrop of Virginia’s racial history, including references to key figures and locations such as the Moton Museum and Jackson Ward. The characters’ journey not only highlights the past but also connects to contemporary issues, prompting them to reflect on social justice in their own community. This edition is part of The Virginia Mysteries series, designed to engage middle-grade readers with a mix of adventure and real historical events, making it a suitable resource for social studies and family exploration.
Official synopsis Publisher
In 1959, the Prince Edward County, Virginia public schools closed. For five years. Back then, it wasn’t over a health pandemic, but because county leaders refused to desegregate white and Black schools. So when long-hidden photographs surface from the student protests along Main Street in Farmville, Sam, Derek, and Caitlin are on the case to help identify the brave teenagers who stood for justice nearly sixty years ago.
Their search winds through Virginia’s checkered racial past of Jim Crow and Massive Resistance, sending them to key sites like the Moton Museum, Evergreen Cemetery, Jackson Ward, and the Virginia State Capitol, and courageous voices like Barbara Johns, Oliver Hill, and Maggie Walker. But when protests over Confederate monuments and cries for social justice ignite their city, will the kids use their lessons from history to take a stand in the present? How far they will go to support new friends while confronting faces from the past?
Pictures at the Protest is the ninth book in The Virginia Mysteries series. The books make perfect complements to social studies units, field trips, and family vacations. If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you’ll love author Steven K. Smith’s exciting middle-grade series-modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from Virginia history for ages 7-12.
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