LOVE IS LOUD

Diane Nash led thousands and helped to pass the Voting Rights Act.

Born in 1938, emerald green–eyed and well-loved Nash learned from her mother, father, and grandmother to value unity over division and expect equal treatment, regardless of locale or circumstance. When Nash moved from Chicago’s South Side to her grandmother’s home in segregated Tennessee, she realized that if she wanted equality, she had to fight for it. Peacefully. She learned to combat racism through sit-ins and marches and by confronting politicians who would dismiss her if they could. The second-person narrator speaks directly to Nash, reciting in lyrical, sometimes rhyming prose how she systematically fought for African American freedoms and rights throughout her life. This picture-book biography illustrates how Black women of the civil rights movement, like Nash, who had just as much impact as men like Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis, have received much less attention than they deserve. Collier’s moving, stylized, recognizable watercolor and collage illustrations capture the love that surrounds Nash that strengthens her resolve to show her love to the next generation, including her own unborn child, steadfastly pursuing social conditions that would build a better future. Wallace’s text lends buoyancy to the narrative, making it a memorable read-aloud. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A poignant and powerful portrayal of the life and work of an unsung civil rights activist.