Just Like Jesse Owens

By Andrew Young, Gordon C. James (Illustrator)

A boy learns a powerful lesson on racism and resilience in 1930s New Orleans.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 124 ratings

40 pages

$17.99Save 6%

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Bookroo's summary

In 1930s New Orleans, young Andrew Young faces racial unrest as the Nazi party stirs tensions. Guided by his father's wisdom, "Don't get mad, get smart," and inspired by Jesse Owens' Olympic triumph, Andrew learns to combat racism with intelligence and perseverance. This pivotal moment shapes his future as a civil rights leader. Discover how a single day transformed his life and laid the foundation for his nonviolent activism, vividly recounted by his daughter, Paula Young Shelton.

From the publisher

Civil rights icon, Ambassador Andrew Young and his daughter, Paula Young Shelton, deliver a powerful oral history about a special day in Andrew’s childhood that changed him forever. This story of race relations in the 1930s South is illustrated by bestselling Caldecott Honor winner Gordon C. James.As a boy, Andrew Young learned a vital lesson from his parents when a local chapter of the Nazi party instigated racial unrest in their hometown of New Orleans in the 1930s. While Hitler’s teachings promoted White supremacy, Andrew’s father, told him that when dealing with the sickness of racism, “Don’t get mad, get smart.” To drive home this idea, Andrew Young Senior took his family to the local movie house to see a newsreel of track star Jesse Owens racing toward Olympic gold, showing the world that the best way to promote equality is to focus on the finish line. The teaching of his parents, and Jesse Owens’ example, would be the guiding principles that shaped Andrew’s beliefs in nonviolence and built his foundation as a civil rights leader and advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The story is vividly recalled by Paula Young Shelton, Andrew’s daughter.

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