Acclaimed Author Carole Boston Weatherford and Award-Winning Illustrator Jeffery Boston Weatherford Share the Story of an Unsung Heroine in Call Me Miss Hamilton
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— This Spring, Millbrook Press™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, introduces Call Me Miss Hamilton: One Woman’s Case for Equality and Respect. With powerful free verse from the Coretta Scott King Award-winning author of Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, Carole Boston Weatherford, and striking scratchboard and archival photograph artwork by Jeffery Boston Weatherford, this impactful title honors an unsung heroine who took a stand for respect—and won.
Mary Hamilton grew up knowing right from wrong. She was proud to be Black, and when the chance came along to join the Civil Rights Movement and become a Freedom Rider, she was eager to fight for what she believed in. Mary was arrested again and again—but she did not back down when faced with insults or disrespect. In an Alabama court, a white prosecutor called her by her first name, but she refused to answer unless he called her “Miss Hamilton.” The judge charged her with contempt of court, but that wasn’t the end of it. Miss Mary Hamilton fought the contempt charge all the way to the Supreme Court.
Discover the true story of the woman Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. nicknamed “Red” because of her fiery spirit!
Praise for Call Me Miss Hamilton:
“Weatherford introduces young readers to this lesser-known changemaker who challenged the court system for due respect. . . Lending to this powerful story is mixed-media artwork that blends expressive black-and-white scratchboard illustrations with tinted photos from the time period.” —starred, Booklist
“Essential reading for teaching children about the importance of demanding equality and respect.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Hamilton’s inspiring story has not been the focus of any other book, and for that fact alone it is deserving of shelf space.” —School Library Journal
“Carole Boston Weatherford provides unflinching narration . . . Collages made of photographs and fine-lined sketches on scratchboard by Jeffery Boston Weatherford, combined with boldly graphical book design, give the picture book a cinematic quality, placing due emphasis on Miss Hamilton’s landmark case.” —Publishers Weekly
About the Author and Illustrator
Carole Boston Weatherford is the author of numerous award-winning books including BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom, illustrated by Michele Wood, which received a Newbery Honor. Her book Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, illustrated by the late Floyd Cooper, won the Coretta Scott King Award for author and illustrator and received a Caldecott Honor and a Sibert Honor. When she’s not traveling or visiting museums, Carole is mining the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles. She lives in North Carolina.
Jeffery Boston Weatherford is the illustrator of the award-winning verse novel You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airman, written by Carole Boston Weatherford. He has an MFA from Howard University and is also a fine artist and spoken word poet. Jeffery created the illustrations in Call Me Miss Hamilton using scratchboard, a process in which he transferred his final sketches to black boards and, with specialized tools, scratched away the areas that appear white. He lives in North Carolina.
About the Publisher
Millbrook Press™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, publishes informational picture books and photo-driven titles for grades K–5. Our authors and illustrators approach curricular topics with fresh perspectives, unusual points of view, and a good dose of humor. Our fact-filled books draw readers in with engaging writing, high-quality photographs, and a wide variety of illustration styles. We believe nonfiction should be distinctive and memorable, both inside and out.
Call Me Miss Hamilton: One Woman’s Case for Equality and Respect
$19.99 Hardcover
eBook Also Available
Ages 7-11
HC: 978-1-5415-6040-6
40 Pages ● 8 × 10
Media contact:
Lindsay Matvick
Publicity Manager
800-328-4929, x385
lmatvick@lernerbooks.com