Call Me Miss Hamilton
One Woman's Case for Equality and Respect
Discover the true story of the woman Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. nicknamed “Red” because of her fiery spirit!
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—and 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.
Powerful free verse from Carole Boston Weatherford and striking scratchboard illustrations by Jeffery Boston Weatherford, accompanied by archival photographs, honor this unsung heroine who took a stand for respect—and won.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
|
978-1-5415-6040-6
|
$14.99 | |
|
978-1-7284-0476-9
|
$24.99 | |
|
978-1-7284-8768-7
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$34.99 |
| Interest Level | Grade 2 - Grade 5 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 3 |
| Genre | Picture Books, Social Studies |
| Category | 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, 5KN: Narrative Nonfiction, Diverse Books: Feminism, Diverse Books: #OwnVoices, Diverse Books: Race & Ethnicity, Diverse Books: Social Justice, Diversity, SEL: C Social Awareness, SEL: E Responsible Decision-Making, Social Emotional Learning |
| Copyright | 2022 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publishing Group |
| Imprint | Millbrook Press ™ |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 40 |
| Publication Date | 2022-02-01 |
| Text Type | Narrative Nonfiction |
|---|---|
| BISACS | JNF007110, JNF007120, JNF025210 |
| Dewey | 323.092 [B] |
| Dimensions | 8 x 10 |
| Lexile | 1040 |
| Guided Reading Level | S |
| ATOS Reading Level | 4.8 |
| Accelerated Reader® Points | 0.5 |
| Features | Author/Illustrator biography, Author/Illustrator note, Awards, Bibliography/further reading, Original artwork, Reviewed, and Starred Reviews |
Author: Carole Boston Weatherford
Carole Boston Weatherford is the author of numerous award-winning books. Her picture book BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom, illustrated by Michele Wood received a Newbery Honor. Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, illustrated by the late Floyd Cooper, was a National Book Award longlist title, won the Coretta Scott King Award for author and illustrator, and received a Caldecott Honor and a Sibert Honor. She is dedicated to writing poetry for children and is the 2025 and 2026 Young People’s Poet Laureate. 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.
Illustrator: Jeffery Boston Weatherford
Jeffery Boston Weatherford is an award-winning illustrator, poet, and founder of the global hip hop collective Triiibe Worldwide. Jeffery earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Howard University where he was a Romare Bearden Scholar. As a teaching artist for the National Book Foundation, he has lectured, performed and conducted workshops in the U.S., Africa, and the Middle East. His illustrated titles include You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen, Africa, A Bat Cave: an Abecedarian Bedtime Chronicle, and Call Me Miss Hamilton. He lives and works in Maryland.
Narrator: Adenrele Ojo
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Awards
- Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books
- Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Books of the Year List
Reviews
Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD)
“[A]n excellent introduction of the Civil Rights Movement for young readers.”—Children’s Literature
The Horn Book Magazine
“[L]arge, striking scratchboard and collage illustrations, which often incorporate archival photographs, complement the clear narrative.”—The Horn Book Magazine
Kirkus Reviews
“Essential reading for teaching children about the importance of demanding equality and respect.”—Kirkus Reviews
Booklist
“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
School Library Journal
“Hamilton’s inspiring story has not been the focus of any other book, and for that fact alone it is deserving of shelf space. This evocative and informative story of an unsung heroine is recommended for general purchase.”—School Library Journal
Publishers Weekly
“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