Go, Wilma, Go!: Wilma Rudolph, from Athlete to Activist

Wilma Rudolph was a champion on the track and for civil rights. Go, Wilma, go!

At the 1960 Summer Olympics, Wilma Rudolph became a gold-medal-winning track star. Discover the powerful story of what happened after she soared across the finish line . . .

Leaders in Wilma's hometown of Clarksville, Tennessee, plan a "Wilma Rudolph Day" to honor their champion. But when Wilma hears about their plans, she stops.

A segregated celebration? She won't go! She won't go unless they welcome Black people to participate. Thanks to Wilma, Clarksville hosts its first fully integrated event.

And Wilma doesn't stop there! The race to freedom is not a sprint, but a marathon. She spends the rest of her life protesting inequality and advocating for Black girls and women to have opportunities in sports and beyond. Go, Wilma, go!

With a powerful text from Amira Rose Davis and Michael G. Long, and art full of movement from Charnelle Pinkney Barlow, this powerful picture book is sure to inspire the next generation of athletes and changemakers.

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published: 07/16/2024
Pages: 40
ISBN: 9781547612093
Age: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 05/01/2024
Booklist 06/01/2024 pg. 76
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 07/01/2024
School Library Journal 06/07/2024 pg. 1

About the Author

Amira Rose Davis is an assistant professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas-Austin. She had a PhD in history from Johns Hopkins University and specializes in twentieth-century American history with an emphasis on race, gender, sports and politics. She is the author of the forthcoming book, Can't Eat a Medal: The Lives and Labors of Black Women Athletes in the Age of Jim Crow. Davis also co-hosts the Feminist Sports Podcast Burn it All Down and season three of American Prodigies. She lives in Austin with her husband, three kids, and their dog and cat.
amirarosedavis.com

Michael G. Long has a PhD from Emory University and is the author or editor of numerous books on nonviolent protest, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ rights. His books for children include the National Book Award Longlisted More Than a Dream with Yohuru Williams and the picture book Unstoppable: How Bayard Rustin Organized the March on Washington.

Charnelle Pinkney Barlow received her BFA in illustration from the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, and her MFA in the Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts, New York. Charnelle's children's book illustrations include Everything in Its Place, The Real Santa, and Remember to Dream, Ebere. Charnelle lives in Indianapolis with her husband. When she's not drawing, she is baking, sewing, or reading with a cup of tea by her side.
callmechartreuse.com
Instagram @callmechartreuse