Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Artist: Mildred D. Taylor
Year: 1976
Date of Action: January 2004
Region: North America
Location: Miami, FL
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Literature
Confronting Bodies: Lawton Chiles Middle School, Seminole County School Board, Miami, FL
Description of Artwork: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a 1976 award-winning children’s book set in 1933 rural Mississippi by Mildred D. Taylor, sequel to her 1975 novella Song of the Trees. It is a book about racism in America during the Great Depression. The novel won the 1977 Newberry Medal.
The Incident: The school district challenged the book after parent, who did not read the book, objected because it includes the word "nigger", and an African-American couple voiced their concerns that the book was inappropriate for their 13-year-old son.
Results of Incident: Letters in support of the book were sent by NCAC and the National Council of Teachers of English. The Seminole County School Board had a special meeting on Tuesday January 27th to discuss the complaint against Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. The board voted 5-0 to keep Roll of Thunder in the curriculum.
Source:
Letter from NCAC to Protest the Challenging of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, JANUARY 26, 2004
10 Black Books You May Not Have Known Were Banned or Challenged, March 24, 2014