Marching to the Mountaintop: How Poverty, Labor Fights, and Civil Rights Set the Stage for Martin Luther King Jr.'s Final Hours

Gr 6 Up—In her book (National Geographic, 2012), Bausum explores the connections between the 1968 Memphis sanitation strike and Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. This detailed account of the strike in Tennessee, the conditions of poverty in which African Americans lived, and the Civil Rights Movement provide listeners with a better understanding of this part of American history. The book begins with a horrific accident that befalls two sanitation workers that prompts a strike by the mostly African American sanitation staff. The struggle and heartbreak encountered by these workers is recounted. Bausum includes so many personal narratives that it gives the book a personal touch. Unfamiliar terms and concepts are defined. Corey Allen's deep voice and steady pace provides a serious tone. This audiobook would be a great resource for students studying the Civil Rights Movement.—Katie Llera, Sayreville Middle School, NJ