54 Miles
In the aftermath of WWII in Mobile, Alabama, when a white man asks a Black woman to marry him, it fractures the two families. So when their Harlem-raised son Adam comes to Selma to register voters in 1965, it starts a journey that will impact every member of those families.
Adam goes missing after the first attempted Selma march, and both his parents come south to search for him. His pastor father goes idealistically–and a bit naively–alongside other white pastors. His mother never wanted to see the South again, understanding its danger. It’s only her love for her son that drives her to go back there.
Leonard Pitts, Jr., has woven a deeply moving, rich story of Black life in the South during the Jim Crow and Civil Rights eras. The marches from Selma run like rivers throughout the book, culminating in the historic 54-mile march to Montgomery. Pitts brings a keen eye for detail and a talent for developing characters so real you’d swear you knew them.
If you, like me, are a bit too young to remember what the world was like in the South before Civil Rights, this book provides a clear, compelling picture. It’s written for adults but would be suitable for older teens. Readers, parents, and educators should be aware that the language reflects the common derogatory terms of the era.
