Loving VS. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case by Patricia Hruby Powell, artwork by Shadra Strickland,

Alternating narrative voices between Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving, Powell begins their story by giving readers a clear idea of what school segregation looked like with a photograph of a white classroom in 1950 beside that of a Black classroom in 1941, quoting the words of George Wallace. The races were separate, but clearly not equal. Mildred and her siblings make the walk to their school where they sit at broken desks, learning from ancient textbooks. However, in Central Point, Virginia, "Indians, Negroes, Whites- / all mixed together," especially on Sundays at the Jeter house where there were pot luck dinners, music, dancing and baseball games. This is where Richard, neighbor and friends with her older brothers, first meets Mildred. Already harassed by Sheriff R. G. Brooks for riding around with African Americans, Loving takes a risk when he begins courting Millie.


Source: Review Copy