The Story Behind an Unsung Event in the Civil Rights Movement

“Over eight days, eight students sparked change that defined their lives, changed an institution and fueled a movement that continues today.” ─Alberto Ibargüen, President and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and former publisher of The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald

#1 New Release in 1960s History of the U.S. and 2020 Finalist Sarton Women's Literary Award for Nonfiction with Special Recognition

Fighting injustice and racism. This narrative tells the story of seven women and one man at the heart of a black power sit-in protesting decreased enrollment and hiring of African Americans at Swarthmore College, and demanding an African American Studies curriculum. The book, written by the former students themselves, includes autobiographical chapters providing a view into the lives of young people during the Civil Rights era.

Correcting media representation. For years the media and some in the school community portrayed the peaceful protest in a negative light―this collective narrative provides a very necessary and overdue retelling of the revolution that took place at Swarthmore College in 1969. The group of eight student protestors only recently have begun to receive credit for the school’s greater inclusiveness, as well as the influence their actions had on universities around the country.

The incredible true civil rights movement story in Seven Sisters and a Brother teaches us key lessons:

Old established institutions can change and will continue to changeThe struggle to give Black history, Black experiences, and Black lives a well earned place in our culture is winnableTruth can prevail when we unite with others and refuse to accept surrender

If you’ve read Warriors Don’t Cry, Between the World and Me, Pulse of Perseverance, Barack Obama’s A Promised Land, or Cicely Tyson’s Just as I Am; then you’ll love Seven Sisters and a Brother.

Marilyn J. Holifield