A Place at the Table: Struggles for Equality in America

Book Overview

Inspiring and true, A Place at the Table chronicles the lives of American freedom fighters whose stories are little-known, but whose efforts have paved the way for equality and justice in the face of extreme prejudice. Unsung heroes and their brave deeds, such as house slave Elizabeth Freeman's momentous court battle winning her freedom, suffragette Sara Bard Field's cross-country journey for women's rights, and Nisqually Indian Billy Frank Jr.'s...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195150368
• ISBN13: 9780195150360
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 152 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.7" x 11.2"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

A CLOSE LOOK AT THE STRUGGLES FOR EQUALITY IN AMERICA - GOOD FOR YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE

This is a booklet which is a part of a packet addressing the history of intolerance, racial, religious, sexual, etc. in our country since is founding. I have not seen or review the VSH Tape which is a part of this package, and have only read this supplement. This is a series of essays addressing various subjects starting with the religious persecution which was rather common in the days before our Constitution was written and ratified. I found this particular section of the book to be most enlightening as it is a subject which is more or less shoved to the side in most of our American History courses in school. The book then goes on, via the essays, to cover racial persecution, from the beginning and working through the Civil Rights Movement of our recent time. Blacks, Hispanics, Asian, and Native American, all are included. I was pleased to find that the old Jim Crow laws were quite well addressed; another subject which is often overlooked. From there this work takes us to the European Immigrants and their plight and then on to the Asians. There is a nice portion of this work devoted to the winning of the vote for women and of their struggle for equal right in the work place, and indeed, society and education. I was please with the way the issue of the Native Americans was handled in this booklet, from the beginning to this present day. We are then given a very nice work addressing the movement of the handicapped; again, something not normally studied. Title IX, which assured the equality between sports for both boys and girls is very well addressed with a couple of very nice case histories. Finally, there are a couple of very nice articles addressing gay and lesbian rights issues. This seems to be the most controversial section of the work. I have read a couple of reviews at other sites, as well as this one, and it is obvious that the reviewers did not actually read this work, see the film, nor give it much thought if they did. No where do I find in this section of the book "Christian Bashing." Nor do I find any "hidden agenda to make all our kids homosexuals." Where those critical remarks came from, from what sort of mind-set...I have not a clue. I found this subject to be well presented in a logical way, simply telling the other side of the story. As with the rest of this work, this section only preaches tolerance. Overall I was most impressed with this work. It is written in a fashion that should give any kid, 15 years old and up, a good overview and more importantly, is certainly written to encourage further reading and investigation on the part of the student. Actually, there are many "adults" I know who would benefit greatly by giving this work a read. America has come a very long way since we all got together and decided to create a country...a very fine country, in my opinion. But that being said, most thinking and observing people will acknowledge the fact that we still have a way to go. It is works such