A 2015 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book and a 2015 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book Almost 10 years before Brown vs. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez and her parents helped end school segregation in California. An American citizen of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage who spoke and wrote perfect English, Mendez was denied enrollment to a “Whites only” school. Her parents took action by organizing the Hispanic community and filing a lawsuit in federal district court. Their success eventually brought an end to the era of segregated education in California. |
Riley's Review
It was wrong that they did not let those kids go to their school. It made me sad because my friends from school wouldn't be in my class. I didn't like that the guys said Mexicans were dirty and not smart, because that is wrong. Those are bad guys. I am glad that the judge said they were wrong.