Essie and the March on Selma — Anitra Butler-Ngugi

Twelve-year-old Essie believes that Black people should be allowed to vote, and she's willing to march for that right. On Sunday, March 7, 1965, she puts on her best dress to join protesters as they plan to visit the governor in Montgomery, Alabama. But as the 600 marchers approach the Edmund Pettis bridge in Selma, they are stopped by state troopers. Can Essie survive blows, tear gas, and being sprayed with a water hose to continue her fight for voting rights? Readers can learn the real story of Selma’s Bloody Sunday from the nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.