Sarah Keys Evans - by Amy Nathan & Sarah Keys Evans (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Sarah Keys Evans wasn't a person anyone thought would spend a night in a jail cell--or change the world. But trouble came Sarah's way in 1952, at a North Carolina bus station. There, dressed in her Women's Army Corps uniform, she was arrested for not moving to the back of a bus--three years before it happened to another Black woman, Rosa Parks. Sarah Keys Evans: The Power of Quiet Courage tells how Sarah stood up for what's right and helped end that kind of unfairness. Others have now honored her by creating a monument that calls her a "Trailblazer for Justice."

Review Quotes

"Sarah Key Evans' story, along with many others who protested racism on public transportation in the 19th and 20th centuries, are omitted from most history books. Thankfully, Amy Nathan and Evans have broken that silence in a beautifully written book for upper elementary students. Readers learn that standing up for justice requires years worth of determination, patience, and courage. Evans was brave when she righteously refused to move on the bus, but there would have been no legal victory were it not for her continued bravery to pursue the case, to face lies about her actions, and to testify at hearings. As the book also makes clear, Evans' family and attorney Dovey Johnson Roundtree provided crucial support. Evans's story will inspire readers and offer a roadmap of the pitfalls and possibilities when pursuing justice."--Deborah Menkart, Executive Director, Teaching for Change, www.teachingforchange.org

About the Author

Amy Nathan, a graduate of Harvard who grew up in Baltimore, is an award-winning author of more than a dozen nonfiction books for young people and adults, including two on U. S. women in the military. She first interviewed Sarah Keys Evans in 2004 after seeing a plaque about her at the Military Women's Memorial. That led to many more conversations over nineteen years of friendship and collaboration as they worked together to create this book for children, and another book for adults. Sarah Keys Evans knew these books were on their way before her death in 2023. For more on Amy Nathan visit www.AmyNathanBooks.com.

"JP" Jermaine Powell is a unique voice within contemporary art. JP is a North Carolina based mixed-media painter, public artist, and widely recognized luxury art specialist. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio and a graduate of the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, JP creates unforgettable visual experiences that fuse bold design with cultural storytelling. Known for his lush, multidimensional paintings and immersive public installations, JP celebrates art history, community, leadership, nature, and human connection through a lens that is as globally inspired as it is deeply personal. A seasoned world traveler, he incorporates jewelry, collectibles, exotic birds, animals, and luxury materials into his richly textured work, transforming dried florals, vivid patterns, and tactile surfaces into narratives of transformation and identity. JP's artistic voice is as resonant in galleries and museums as it is in public spaces. His recent residency at the North Carolina Museum of Art culminated in the "Imagine Love/Show Me Love" experience, a monumental installation that continues to inspire dialogue around empathy and belonging.