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67 pages 2 hours read

Carlotta Walls LaNier, Lisa Frazier Page

A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Middle Grade | Published in 2009

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

A Mighty Long Way by Carlotta Walls LaNier and Lisa Frazier Page recounts LaNier’s experience as the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine, detailing the trials she faced integrating the all-white Little Rock Central High School. It also covers her life growing up in the Jim Crow-era South, the struggles she endured after Central, and her eventual reconnection with her fellow Little Rock Nine members. The memoir underscores the resilience required to pursue educational integration amidst systemic racism and highlights the significance of these Civil Rights events from LaNier’s unique perspective. This book contains racial slurs used against LaNier and her peers, as well as descriptions of racial violence.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

<A Mighty Long Way> by Carlotta Walls LaNier and Lisa Frazier Page is hailed for its compelling, personal account of the fight for desegregation. Readers praise LaNier's resilience and storytelling. However, some find it slow-paced and desire deeper historical context. Overall, it's a vital, impactful read on civil rights.

Who should read this

Who Should Read A Mighty Long Way?

Readers who are interested in civil rights history, personal memoirs, and stories of resilience would enjoy A Mighty Long Way by Carlotta Walls LaNier and Lisa Frazier Page. Comparable to The Autobiography of Malcolm X and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, this book provides a firsthand account of overcoming racial adversity.

RecommendedReading Age

12+years

Lexile Level

1040L