Victory, Stand: Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith and Derick Barnes. Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. 208 p. Norton Young Readers, September, 2022. 9781324052159. (Review of finished, purchased copy.)
Happy Friday! Fact Friday features Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith and Derick Barnes and illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. This graphic novel memoir opens dramatically, depicting Mr. Smith preparing to run the 200 meter race in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico. Then, flashes back to the author's youth. He was the seventh of twelve children and his parents were sharecroppers in Acworth, Texas. The family were poor, but hard-working and all the children worked the farm from an early age. His parents valued education as well and young Tommie was a good student. He was also a natural athlete, excelling in multiple sports.
He won an athletic scholarship to college to play football, basketball and to run track. But obtaining an education was the goal. Though he encountered racism his entire life, he was one of the few Black students on campus and student athletes who were Black encountered racism from spectators as well as opposing teams. Additionally, the civil rights movement was gaining momentum and some Black student athletes thought they should also be making a stand.
This dynamic memoir with its gorgeous black and white illustrations and effect paneling, will keep readers riveted. The author provides insight into his own motivations as well as important historical context. Both he and his teammate, John Carlos were stripped of their Olympic medals when they protested during the playing of the National Anthem.
Victory. Stand! was a National Book Award Finalist, a finalist for the 2023 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award, and a Horn Book Fanfare. It made many year-end Best Books lists as well. Highly recommended for your graphic novel fans as well as sports history buffs and budding activists.
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