The Faith of Elijah Cummings: The North Star of Equal Justice
written by Carole Boston Weatherford,
illustrated by Laura Freeman
Random House Studio, 2022, 40 pages
Carole Boston Weatherford's picture book biography about Elijah Cummings begins with the front endpapers - a bold American flag that just as boldly represents everything he believed in and fought for. Elijah's parents were originally sharecroppers on land that their enslaved ancestors had worked on in South Carolina. In the 1940s, they decided that they and their children would have a better chance at life if they moved north to Maryland. It was seven children and two adults living in very cramped quarters, but Robert and Ruth Cummings has faith in their decision.
Elijah, who had difficulties in school, found solace and help in the public library, where librarians would stay after work to tutor him. But in the summer of 1962, when he was 11, Elijah participated in a protest with other African American kids to integrate a Baltimore city pool. The demonstration was organized by Juanita Jackson Mitchel, a civil rights lawyer. Learning that he had rights he would have to fight for led Elijah to consider becoming a lawyer, too.
Life wasn't easy, and there were those who tried to discourage Elijah from following his dream of becoming a lawyer, including his high school counselor, but his mother's faith gave him hope" "Have faith," she said. "God has a plan for you." And she wasn't the only one who had faith in Elijah. In 1973, after graduating from Howard University with honors, Elijah went to law school.
Ten years later, in 1983, Elijah was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates where he fought for the safely of inner-city children. In 1996, Elijah was elected to the United States House of Representatives, where he became a voice for all people of color, a civil rights champion who knew that Americans of color would have to fight the good fight if they were to be treated fairly and equally, but always believing that "In God's time, we shall overcome."
While you won't find many of the particulars that are often included in biographies, readers will find the important influences in Elijah Cummings life that led him to become an important voice in congress and a strong advocate of civil rights. Boston Weatherford uses the same direct, straightforward language her children's books are so well known for and on each two page spread she has included a direct quote by Elijah relating to the text. Coordinating and complimenting the text are Laura Freeman's digital illustrations using a bold color palette and at times a photo realistic style.
While this biography by Carole Boston Weatherford focuses on the life of Elijah Cummings, sadly, and not really emphasized in this book, he passed away on October 17, 2019. Front matter includes a except from the eulogy given by Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives at the funeral of Elijah Cummings on October 25, 2019, and which you can read in its entirety HERE.
Back matter includes an excerpt of the October 17, 2019 Statement from the Congressional Black Caucus, a Timeline, a Bibliography and the Quote Sources used. This book ends with the same bold American flag, an image made all the more powerful by the profile of Elijah Cummings superimposed on it.
This book was gratefully received from Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media.
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