My Name is Marcus by Geoffrey Philp, illustrated by Shaquille Cross and Marcel Hemmings

 

For many years my Belmont colleague has asked  for a text for students about Marcus Garvey, and until now, there has been little to recommend beyond biographical entries in reference works.  This previous dearth of texts about Garvey, whose significance cannot be overstated, now makes this graphic novel for middle school readers remarkable.  

Although the book lacks a  bibliography or table of contents,  teachers who have been hungering for a book about Garvey will be delighted by this slick and richly colored slim volume.  Crosse and Hemmings’ serviceable digital illustrations get the job done,  and youth reading it in detention may appreciate the depiction of Garvey’s time in an American prison and the abuse he endured there.  They may also appreciate learning about President Biden’s recent posthumous pardon of Garvey, and teachers may use this newsworthy development as an introduction to Marcus Garvey’s role in American history and world history.  Backmatter includes a list of 75  facts about Garvey and 20 quotes without any further context provided. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Philp, Geoffrey.  My Name is Marcus.  Kingston: Blue Banyan Books, 2024.  Print.