In Detroit, 1945, eleven-year-old Betty’s house doesn’t quite feel like home. She believes her mother loves her, but she can’t shake the feeling that her mother doesn’t want her. Church helps those worries fade, if only for a little while. The singing, the preaching, the speeches from guest activists like Paul Robeson and Thurgood Marshall stir African Americans in her community to stand up for their rights. Betty quickly finds confidence and purpose in volunteering for the Housewives League, an organization that supports black-owned businesses. Soon, the American civil rights icon we now know as Dr. Betty Shabazz is born.
"Betty Before X" is a beautiful and inspiring portrait of a girl overcoming the challenges of self-acceptance and belonging. This children's book is co-written by Shabazz' daughter Ilyasah Shabazz and Portland novelist Renée
Website: www.reneewatson.net
- KBOO