John Lennon

Tonight on public television at 9 pm:

LennonNYC.

I am eager to see this film from American Masters. Several years ago I did a biography, John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth. I was amazed by Lennon. He was incredibly smart, well-read, and political. He had no tolerance for BS. His NYC time was an interesting part of his life. He was no longer a Beatle, and had to find out who he really was. New Yorkers generally treated him really well, saying hello when they saw him in a cafe, but not bothering him. The kind of anonymity you can only have in a big city.

There were two great resources for doing a bio. on him: lots and lots and lots of photos. I managed to get just over 100 into the book! And Lennon liked to find someone in the press he clicked with, and then he would sit down for extensive interviews with the reporter. It is almost like he used the interview as a way of exploring his own thoughts and feelings.

I'm sure I'll learn new things about him in this film. And mourn, all over again, his shocking murder.

National Council for the Social Studies

I had a fantastic time at NCSS in Denver. Was it cold? Yes, it was very, very cold. Check out how this marsupial daddy kept his baby warm.


It was my first time to be with a big group of social studies teachers. What totally dedicated people! Hard, hard working. I did a presentation on using Marching for Freedom in the classroom, focusing on how to use Google Lit Trips. My presentation went well, though I had some tech difficulties. The teachers were incredibly patient about it. I realized they've all been there before, struggling with computer problems. I'm sure they were kinder to me than a room full of teenagers!


Penguin sponsored me for a signing with free books, and I had a wonderful group of teachers who wanted Marching for Freedom to use in their classrooms. Thank you Uncle Penguin!

I went to as many lectures as I could possible fit in. There were great talks about using technology in the classroom and how to use trade books in the classroom. I also had dinner with the unquenchable Marc Aronson, and another with writer Ann Bausum, our first time meeting each other, though we both do nonfiction.

Also just received news that Marching was chosen for Texas Library Association's TAYSHAS list. An amazing list of books. I'm honored to be included.

And of course, I had to take a picture of this great big whimsical guest:

I was imagining that he wanted in, not to munch up social studies teachers, but wanting to be at a book signing for his latest book Big Blue Bear in the City.

Arc of the moral universe

Finally, finally, finally.

Forty-five years ago, Jimmie Lee Jackson was shot and killed by State Trooper James Fowler during a night protest in Marion, Alabama, near Selma. His death led to the march from Selma to Montgomery, which resulted in President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act.

Fowler has just plead guilty and been given a six month sentence. Short? Very, very short. But Fowler had previously maintained that Jackson was not murdered, but that he, Fowler, shot him in self-defense.

As Dr. King said in his famous speech in Montgomery about waiting for justice, "How long? Not long, because 'No lie can live forever.'.... How long? Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."

Here's the New York Times piece.

Check out the archived New Yorker online article, Letter from Selma, by reporter Renata Adler who was on the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery. It will give you a vivid feeling of being on the march. Several times during the five day march, Adler spoke with a young marcher, Charles Mauldin, whom I was lucky enough to interview two years ago for Marching for Freedom.

I'd love to hear thoughts on how to ask the right questions to get students to talk about what this means. I can think of a couple of obvious ones: Why do you think Fowler plead guilty? Do you think a jury would be more likely to convict him of murder today than in 1965? What has changed since 1965 that Fowler would now be more likely to be held accountable for his actions?

Any other ideas?