March

This was my least favorite of the March books, though that isn't to say it's bad.

Lewis spends a lot of time talking about disagreement within and between different civil rights organizations—the NAACP, SNCC, SCLC, etc. I liked that Lewis talked about challenging himself and others, and being challenged by others. He showed how hard it was to work together. He showed how sometimes, people didn't work together.

However, I do think he got bogged down in detail, probably because he was similarly bogged down in the moments he is recalling. He was the chairman of SNCC, but his personal philosophies aligned less and less with SNCC's evolution. He had to reevaluate his role in the movement, while exhausted in every sense.


One aspect of the book(s) I wish had been explored more is how political figures invoke America. Lewis definitely has his readers reckon with a complacent, violent depiction of the US. But then in the speeches he quotes (some his own), civil rights leaders speak passionately about how America is founded on principles of freedom and democracy. Historical figures known to be slaveowners are favorably cited in addresses about ending segregation. That's weird, right?

I understood the point being made, and I don't necessarily disagree. You don't need to condemn something to show that you are motivated to improve it. It just felt like an obvious contradiction that went unacknowledged. This is hardly a fault specific to March or John Lewis, but I was surprised it didn't come up, given that so much of March 3 is spent on disagreements between activists.

In all, though, this is inarguably a powerful series. The illustrations are clever and striking, and Lewis speaks about both people and events with nuance. He and these graphic novels are honest and brave and incredibly important.