The Progress of Our People

By Anne E. Johnson, Eric Freeberg (Illustrator)

Part of the I Am America series

A young girl defies a boycott to see her idol perform at the 1893 World's Fair.

3.9/5 Goodreads · 8 ratings

160 pages

$11.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

In 1893, Lorraine Williams dreams of seeing her idol, opera singer Sissieretta Jones, at the Chicago World's Fair. But when activist Ida B. Wells calls for a boycott due to the fair's lack of Black representation, Lorraine's father forbids her from attending. Determined to witness Jones's performance and ensure others can too, Lorraine faces a choice between family loyalty and her passion for progress. Can she find a way to honor both? Discover a tale of courage and the fight for representation in a world that tries to silence certain stories.

From the publisher

It’s 1893, and Lorraine Williams can’t wait to attend the Chicago World’s Fair and see her idol, the Black opera singer Sissieretta Jones. But when activist and writer Ida B. Wells urges Black Americans to boycott the fair, Lorraine’s father forbids Lorraine from going. After all, there is no exhibition about the progress that the Black community has made since Emancipation, and the fair has lacked Black representation since it was first being planned. But Lorraine will do anything to see Miss Jones and ensure other Black people can hear Miss Jones sing. What does progress look like if not Sissieretta Jones, who embodies everything Lorraine wants to be? It’s the storytellers that preserve a nation’s history. But what happens when some stories are silenced? The I Am America series features fictional stories based on important historical events about people whose voices have been excluded, lost, or forgotten over time.

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