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March (Trilogy) (2013–2016)

Author: John Lewis and Andrew Aydin (art: Nate Powell) Type: Graphic memoir · Civil Rights history FPS Group: Group 2 — FPS Choice/Dev Era/Period: USH Unit 6 — Civil Rights Era ELA Standards: 9-10.R.8 · 9-10.R.9 USH Standards: US.6_12.4 · US.6_12.5 Copyright: Copyrighted — excerpt only

What This Text Is About

March is a graphic memoir trilogy that tells the story of Congressman John Lewis's life and his pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement. Written by Lewis himself with co-author Andrew Aydin, it provides an intimate look into the struggles and triumphs faced during one of America’s most transformative periods. The series covers key events such as the Nashville sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and the historic March on Washington. Originally inspired by a comic book about Martin Luther King Jr., Lewis realized the power of storytelling through comics to educate young people about history.

Read It

Copyrighted — excerpt only.

The trilogy opens with John Lewis reflecting on the day of Barack Obama's first inauguration in 2009, marking significant progress but also serving as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality. In Book One, readers are transported to Nashville where Lewis and other college students engage in sit-ins at segregated lunch counters, facing arrest and violence from angry mobs. The scene illustrates the courage and determination required to challenge unjust laws through nonviolent protest.

Full trilogy available in most school libraries.

Why This Text Matters

March offers a powerful narrative that connects personal stories with broader historical events. It provides a deeply human perspective on the Civil Rights Movement, revealing not only the famous moments but also the day-to-day struggles and sacrifices made by ordinary people. For students today, it serves as both an educational tool about the past and a call to action for addressing current social justice issues.

ELA Standards Connection

Standard Connection
9-10.R.8 Analyze how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text, such as John Lewis’s personal account versus other historical narratives about the Civil Rights Movement.
9-10.R.9 Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific way, for example, by adapting a speech given by Martin Luther King Jr. into visual storytelling in March.
9-10.W.4 Write arguments to support claims using credible sources such as the primary events described in the trilogy to discuss why nonviolent protest is an effective form of activism.

Social Studies Connection

The text provides vivid accounts of specific events like the Nashville sit-ins (February–May, 1960), and the Freedom Rides (Spring 1961). These events are crucial for understanding the broader narrative of Civil Rights activism in America during this era.

Key Vocabulary

  • Nonviolent Protest: A form of protest that avoids physical violence; used by MLK and others to challenge segregation.
  • Jim Crow Laws: Racial segregation laws established after the Reconstruction period, enforcing racial separation across the South until the 1960s.
  • SNCC: Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee — an organization founded in 1960 that coordinated student-led activism against racism and segregation.
  • Bloody Sunday (1965): A violent clash between peaceful demonstrators and police on March 7, 1965, on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.
  • March on Washington (1963): A large political rally where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

Studio Ideas

  1. Write an argumentative essay about how John Lewis’s personal story connects to the broader goals of SNCC and the Civil Rights Movement.
  2. Create a historical writing prompt comparing the Freedom Rides to later protests in American history (e.g., Black Lives Matter).
  3. Reflect on contemporary student life, exploring issues related to social justice that resonate with themes from March.

Pairs With

Why This Is Relevant Today?

March addresses contemporary issues of racial justice, police brutality, and voter rights. These themes are particularly relevant today as modern civil rights movements continue to fight for equality and freedom.

ELA Reading Library · SDA Commons · South High School

Note: John Lewis (1940-2020) was a founding member of SNCC, organized the Nashville lunch counter sit-ins, participated in the Freedom Rides, and gave the most radical speech at the March on Washington in 1963 (he was pressured to tone it down). He was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday (March 7, 1965). He served in Congress for 33 years until his death from pancreatic cancer in 2020. The trilogy was inspired by a 1958 comic book Martin Luther King shared with Lewis — it uses the comic form to tell the Civil Rights story for young people.