WRITING TOWARD JUSTICE

A thoughtful account of Alice A. Dunnigan (1906-1983), the first Black female journalist to receive Capitol press credentials.

Growing up in Kentucky, the daughter of a sharecropper, young Alice railed against injustice such as segregation, but upon realizing that no one could “care about something they didn’t know was going on,” she vowed to fight through the written word. In clear, passionate language, Thomas follows Alice’s journey from child writer to educator to poorly paid but resolute reporter. Committed to telling stories that white journalists weren’t, Alice received a press pass, a major feat. After a chance encounter allowed her the opportunity for a candid interview with President Truman, Alice was recognized as a tireless voice for the “countless people [who] struggle.” An author’s note reminds readers that “a book can never hold a person’s entire life,” but Thomas’ choice to focus on Alice’s pioneering career keeps the plot tight. Specific dating would help clarify the timeline, since generic allusions like “a dark cloud loomed over the nation” (likely referring to the Great Depression) could be potentially confusing to a young audience. Engel’s impressionistic backgrounds painted with acrylic and oil glazes accentuate graceful portraits, and luxuriously bright colors make the work feel less like a historical piece than a celebratory retrospective. A word representing a core tenet of Alice’s success is spelled out in each illustration; the subtle artistic placement is nifty.

A timely reminder about the power of words.