March by John Lewis

March.  Book One by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin.  Art by Nate Powell

March is a powerful graphic novel on the early life of Civil and Human Rights Activist and current Georgian congressman, John Lewis. This memoir begins with John's childhood growing up on a farm in rural, Alabama.  His job was to tend to the chickens.  He wanted to be a preacher and the chickens were his first congregation.  Right away he started to protest the treatment of his chickens and as they became food for dinner, he refused to eat.

John Lewis grew up to be very influential in the Civil Rights Movement.  He meets Martin Luther King Jr. and that experience changes his life.  He joins and participates in non-violent protest and social action in Nashville, Tennessee.  Like many activists of this time, John Lewis gets arrested but change happens and he is a big part of it.

The artwork in this book is amazing.  I've included one of my favorite drawings from the book in this post but there are many beautiful, gut-wrenching drawings of the Civil Rights Movement.  The art is done in stark black and white and it is moving.  I felt transported to another place in time and was enveloped in the story because of the beauty and expression contained in the graphic artwork.

Looking forward to the next volume.  Hope I don't have to wait to long.