The Youngest Marcher:

the story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a young civil rights activist

Cynthia Levinson, 2017

The story "The Youngest Marcher" is about a young girl by the name of Audrey Faye

Hendricks. Audrey had a good understanding of what segregation was and wanted to do things that everyone else could as well as make the white and black people live together comfortably. In the beginning, Audrey is seen cooking with her mother and then having a dinner meeting with her and her parents and ministers. They discuss things about wiping the segregation laws out and Audrey of course agreed to everything they were saying. Audrey spoke up during the dinner and was immediately shut down by her mother because "nine-year-old children should not speak in front of company, especially ministers like Mike, Fred, and Jim, who were bringing dreams of justice." (Levinson, 2017).

Unfortunately, every time Audrey speaks up about segregation saying how it isn't right, her mother tells her to "shhh". The opportunity soon came where Jim announced that jails should be filled with children and Audrey took it right away. Her mother saw how much she wanted to do this and allowed her. Audrey then participated in a protest and was the youngest protester there. She got sent to jail, which was the goal but found it harder than she expected.

On the fifth day of her detention, all the rooms were filled and black people were able to do things just like everyone else as if they were always allowed to do it. Two months later, Birmingham no longer had segregation laws and was finally eating ice cream at the counter just like everyone else and like how she always dreamed of.

IMPACT

'The Youngest Marcher' is based on a true story and shows how at such a young age, Audrey was able to accomplish so much. As a picture book about Audrey's story, young audiences are able to easily understand what she went through the simple words and pictures showing what is happening and are able to grasp the message of the story, that they are never too young to make a difference in society.