Writing Toward Justice

“A thoughtful account of Alice Dunnigan (1906-1983), the first Black female journalist to receive Capitol press credentials. Growing up in Kentucky, the daughter of a sharecropper, young Alice railed against injustice such as segregation, but upon realizing that no one could ‘care about something they didn’t know was going on’, she vowed to fight through the written word. In clear, passionate language, Thomas follows Alice’s journey from child writer to educator to poorly paid but resolute reporter… A timely reminder about the power of words.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Readers follow Dunnigan as she confronts backlash with courage, even speaking directly to President Truman about the challenges Black Americans faced daily. The illustrations reinforce her story, highlighting words that defined her life, such as determination, truth, ingenuity, and justice. Rich back matter extends the learning with additional details about Dunnigan, other pioneering Black women journalists, and bibliography for further reading. This book is an inspiring addition to elementary library collections.”—Booklist

“The moments on offer—Dunnigan writing biographies of historic Kentuckians to supplement lacking school curricula or pawning her watch and taking odd jobs to pay her way to cover a cross-country presidential train trip—do offer a unique look at an underrepresented, extremely driven historical figure.”— The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“…an inspiring nonfiction picture book for kids ages 7–10 about Alice Dunnigan, a pioneering Black journalist, who spoke truth to power.”—Shelf Awareness

“I enjoyed reading this commemoration of Dunnigan’s legacy. The illustrations in this book look like acrylic paintings and they’re beautiful! Often, you can see the brushstrokes on the illustrations, which I love… [recommended for] children interested in learning about the civil rights movement.“—Youth Services Book Review

Peggy Thomas is the author of more than 10 books for children, including Farmer George Plants a Nation, NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book, and Full of Beans, an ALA Best STEM Book. Her most recent titles are A Family of Trees, illustrated by Cookie Moon, and The Soil in Jackie’s Garden, illustrated by Neely Daggett.

Tonya Engel is an award-winning artist and illustrator of more than 30 children’s books, including Because Claudette by Tracey Baptiste, Hidden Figures- The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly, and Bea Breaks Barriers by Caitlin DeLems. Her recent book Yaya and the Sea written by Karen Good Marable was a New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book. Tonya’s art can also be found on prints, greeting cards, and textiles.

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