
This inspiring story of little-known civil rights champion Oscar Chapman reminds readers that one person can truly make a difference. On Easter Sunday 1939, Marian Anderson performed at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial for a crowd of over 75,000 people. The person largely responsible for putting her there was a white man, Oscar Chapman. When Chapman learned that Marian Anderson was not allowed to sing at Constitution Hall because of the color of her skin, Chapman helped produce a landmark concert that―for at least one evening―bridged the color divide to bring a city and much of the nation together. Award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson tells the inspirational story of Oscar Chapman’s lifelong commitment to ending bigotry. Illustrator Leonard Jenkins’s remarkable illustrations recreate a bygone era and pay tribute to remarkable real-life people and a magical moment in modern history. An author’s note provides additional historical context.
Author

I write nonfiction and historical fiction, picture books, and Golden Books. I speak at school, libraries, and conferences. I also love to garden and offer manuscript critiques. (Deborahhopkinson@yahoo.com) NEW books in 2023 include RACE AGAINST DEATH: The Greatest POW Rescue of WWII, which has three starred reviews; CINDERELLA AND A MOUSE CALLED FRED, illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Paul O. Zelinsky, which has a star from Kirkus; TRIM SETS SAIL and TRIM HELPS OUT, Junior Library Guild selections; THE PLOT to Kill a QUEEN and SMALL PLACES, CLOSE to HOME, a picture book inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I live in Oregon.