Sing a Song

By Kelly Starling Lyons, Keith Mallett (Illustrator)

A song unites generations, offering hope and strength against adversity.

4.4/5 Goodreads · 367 ratings

32 pages· 781 words· Est. 7 min read-aloud

$17.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

In 1900 Jacksonville, two brothers create a song for a school tribute that becomes a beacon of hope for Black families. "Lift Every Voice and Sing" echoes through history, inspiring resilience and unity. As it passes from one generation to the next, it becomes a powerful anthem during the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. Discover how this song's enduring legacy continues to uplift and empower.

From the publisher

Lyons delivers the history of a song that has inspired generations of African-Americans to persist and resist in the face of racism and systemic oppression. . . . A heartfelt history of a historic anthem.–Publishers Weekly Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us.Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us. In Jacksonville, Florida, two brothers, one of them the principal of a segregated, all-black school, wrote the song Lift Every Voice and Sing so his students could sing it for a tribute to Abraham Lincoln’s birthday in 1900. From that moment on, the song has provided inspiration and solace for generations of Black families. Mothers and fathers passed it on to their children who sang it to their children and grandchildren. Known as the Black National Anthem, it has been sung during major moments of the Civil Rights Movement and at family gatherings and college graduations. Inspired by this song’s enduring significance, Kelly Starling Lyons and Keith Mallett tell a story about the generations of families who gained hope and strength from the song’s inspiring words. –A CCBC Choice –A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People–An ALSC Notable Children’s Book

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