Moments in History: Turn of the Century, Civil Rights, and American History through the Vietnam War

Matasha / Pamela Erens

Apart from Matasha’s daily reading of the advice columns, keeping up with the Patty Hearst and Watergate scandals, and tracking her parents' deteriorating marriage, she is fixated by the story of a nine-year-old boy who disappeared a few months ago, and whose body has yet to be found. None of these ongoing problems could prepare she for her mother's sudden disappearance. When the letters start coming from Switzerland, she knows something is very, very wrong.

Unbroken : an Olympian's journey from airman to castaway to captive / Laura Hillenbrand

On a May afternoon in 1943, an American military plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary sagas of the Second World War.

Between before & after / Maureen Doyle McQuerry

In a dual narrative, Elaine struggles to protect herself and brother Stephen in 1918 New York City, and Molly, her daughter, does the same for her brother, Angus, in 1955 San Jose, California.

The awakening of Malcolm X / Ilyasah Shabazz with Tiffany D. Jackson

In Charlestown Prison, Malcolm Little struggles with the weight of his past. Plagued by nightmares, Malcolm drifts through days, unsure of his future. He befriends other prisoners and writes to his family. He reads all the books in the prison library, joins the debate team and the Nation of Islam. Malcolm grapples with race, politics, religion, and justice in the 1940s. As his time in jail comes to an end, he emerges from prison more than just Malcolm Little; now, he is Malcolm X.

Angel of Greenwood / Randi Pink

Isaiah never noticed Angel as anything but a dorky, Bible toting church girl until their English teacher offers them a job on her mobile library. Angel can’t turn down the money and Isaiah is soon eager to be in close quarters with Angel every afternoon. Life changes on May 31, 1921 when a vicious white mob storms the Black community of Greenwood, leaving the town destroyed.

Finding Junie Kim / Ellen Oh

Junie Kim keeps her head down and tries not to draw attention to herself. When racist graffiti appears at her middle school, Junie must decide between staying silent or speaking out. As racism becomes more pervasive at school, Junie taps into the strength of her ancestors and finds the courage to do what is right, just as her grandparents did.

Open fire / Amber Lough

In 1917 Russia, seventeen-year-old Katya joins the first all-female battalion to fight the Germans, but she soon finds that patriotism alone won't help her survive the realities of war.

Last night at the Telegraph Club / by Malinda Lo

America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. Despite Lily’s father’s hard-won citizenship he is still at risk of being deported. She and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day especially as they spend the night at the lesbian bar the Telegraph Club.

These shallow graves / Jennifer Donnelly

A young woman in nineteenth-century New York City must struggle against gender and class boundaries when her father is found dead of a supposed suicide and she believes there is more than meets the eye. In order to uncover the truth she will have to decide how much she is willing to risk and lose.

The rock and the river / Kekla Magoon

In 1968 Chicago, thirteen-year-old Sam Childs is caught in a conflict between his father's nonviolent approach to seeking civil rights for African Americans and his older brother, who has joined the Black Panther Party.

Unconventional warfare / Chris Lynch

Danny Manion lands in the Studies and Observation Group, a volunteer task force that focuses on covert action and psychological warfare during the Vietnam War.

My year in the middle / Lila Quintero Weaver

At Lu Olivera's school the white kids and black kids sit on different sides of the classroom while Lu just wants to get along with everyone, but growing racial tensions will not let Lu stay neutral about the racial divide in school.

The war to end all wars : World War I / by Russell Freedman

The tangled relationships and alliances of many nations, the introduction of modern weaponry, and top-level military decisions that resulted in thousands of casualties all contributed to the "great war," which people hoped and believed would be the only conflict of its kind.

The march against fear : the last great walk of the civil rights movement and the emergence of black power / Ann Bausum

An African-American man named James Meredith set out to walk through his home state, intending to fight racism and fear with his feet. One day later he was shot in a roadside ambush. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders took up Meredith's cause, determined to overcome this violent act and complete Meredith's walk. There was no time for advance planning and their route cut through dangerous territory. No one knew if they would succeed.

Very, very, very dreadful : the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 / Alber Marrin

In spring of 1918, World War I was underway, and troops at Fort Riley, Kansas, found themselves felled by influenza and within weeks exploded into a pandemic. It would impact the course of the war, and kill many millions more soldiers than warfare itself. The 1918 flu was by far the worst that has ever afflicted humankind.

The chosen and the beautiful / Nghi Vo

Jordan Baker grows up in the most rarefied circles of 1920s American society―she has money, education, a killer golf handicap, and invitations to some of the most exclusive parties of the Jazz Age. She’s also queer, Asian, adopted, and treated as an exotic attraction by her peers, while the most important doors remain closed to her.

Lifting as we climb : black women's battle for the ballot box / Evette Dionne

For African American women, the fight for the right to vote was only one battle. When fellow suffragists did not accept them as equal partners in the struggle for suffrage, African American women had to fight on two fronts for the right to vote.

Captured : an American prisoner of war in North Vietnam / Alvin Townley

Jeremiah Denton was captured in North Vietnam in 1965. As a POW, Denton led a group of fellow American prisoners through gruesome conditions behind enemy lines. Jerry told his fellow POWs that they would one day return home together. He did finally return home in 1973 after the longest and harshest deployment in U.S. history.

Inside/Out is closed for Garden of Lights setup. Garden of Lights opening night is Wednesday, December 6.

Moments in History: Turn of the Century, Civil Rights, and American History through the Vietnam War

Matasha / Pamela Erens

Unbroken : an Olympian’s journey from airman to castaway to captive / Laura Hillenbrand

Between before & after / Maureen Doyle McQuerry

The awakening of Malcolm X / Ilyasah Shabazz with Tiffany D. Jackson

Angel of Greenwood / Randi Pink

Finding Junie Kim / Ellen Oh

Open fire / Amber Lough

Last night at the Telegraph Club / by Malinda Lo

These shallow graves / Jennifer Donnelly

The rock and the river / Kekla Magoon

Unconventional warfare / Chris Lynch

My year in the middle / Lila Quintero Weaver

The war to end all wars : World War I / by Russell Freedman

The march against fear : the last great walk of the civil rights movement and the emergence of black power / Ann Bausum

Very, very, very dreadful : the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 / Alber Marrin

The chosen and the beautiful / Nghi Vo

Lifting as we climb : black women’s battle for the ballot box / Evette Dionne

Captured : an American prisoner of war in North Vietnam / Alvin Townley

Book List: Moments in History: Turn of the Century, Civil Rights, and American History through the Vietnam War

Sachem Public Library

Inside/Out is closed for Garden of Lights setup. Garden of Lights opening night is Wednesday, December 6.

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Moments in History: Turn of the Century, Civil Rights, and American History through the Vietnam War

Book List: Moments in History: Turn of the Century, Civil Rights, and American History through the Vietnam War

Sachem Public Library