Saving American Beach: The Biography of African American Environmentalist MaVynee Betsch

Synopsis

This heartfelt picture book biography illustrated by the Caldecott Honoree Ekua Holmes, tells the story of MaVynee Betsch, an African American opera singer turned environmentalist and the legacy she preserved.MaVynee loved going to the beach. But in the days of Jim Crow, she couldn't just go to any beach--most of the beaches in Jacksonville were for whites only. Knowing something must be done, her grandfather bought a beach that African American families could enjoy without being reminded they were second class citizens; he called it American Beach. Artists like Zora Neale Hurston and Ray Charles vacationed on its sunny shores. It's here that MaVynee was first inspired to sing, propelling her to later become a widely acclaimed opera singer who routinely performed on an international stage. But her first love would always be American Beach.After the Civil Rights Act desegregated public places, there was no longer a need for a place like American Beach and it slowly fell into disrepair. MaVynee remembered the importance of American Beach to her family and so many others, so determined to preserve this integral piece of American history, she began her second act as an activist and conservationist, ultimately saving the place that had always felt most like home.

Copyright:

2021

Book Details

Book Quality:

Publisher Quality

Book Size:

40 Pages

ISBN-13:

9781101996300

Related ISBNs:

9781101996294

Publisher:

Penguin Young Readers Group

Date of Addition:

11/10/22

Copyrighted By:

Copyright Holder not supplied in Metadata

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

History, Children's Books, Nonfiction, Biographies and Memoirs, Outdoors and Nature, Earth Sciences

Grade Levels:

Kindergarten, First grade, Second grade, Third grade, Pre-Kindergarten

Reading Age:

4–8

Submitted By:

Bookshare Staff

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.