47 pages • 1 hour read
Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County
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Book Brief
Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2015336
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
Prince Edward County, Virginia • 1950s
2015
Adult
14-18 years
Super Short Summary
Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County by Kristen Green recounts the history of Prince Edward County, Virginia, where public schools were closed from 1959 to 1964 to resist desegregation following the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling. Black students were left without formal education during this period, while a private school for white students was established. Green traces the historical events and their long-lasting community effects, interweaving her personal narrative as an alumna of the white-only academy and revealing her family's involvement in supporting school segregation. This book discusses racism and its profound impact on individuals and communities.
Informative
Challenging
Emotional
Mysterious
Reviews & Readership
2,042 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Kristen Green’s Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County deftly blends personal memoir and historical analysis, offering a compelling look at a Virginia county's fight against school desegregation. The narrative is praised for its emotional depth and incisive research, though some critics note occasional repetitiveness. Overall, it’s a provocative read that illuminates a key civil rights struggle.
Who Should Read Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County?
Readers drawn to Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County by Kristen Green are typically interested in civil rights history and educational inequality. Fans of The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson would appreciate the book's exploration of systemic racism and personal narratives intertwined with historical events.
2,042 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Elsie Lancaster
Elsie Lancaster
A Black woman who worked for Kristen Green's family for over fifty years. She faced the challenge of sending her daughter away when schools closed, impacting her experience as a mother.
Samuel Cecil and Emma Lee Patterson (Papa and Mimi)
Samuel Cecil and Emma Lee Patterson (Papa and Mimi)
Green's grandparents, with whom she has nostalgic memories. Papa was a dentist and a founding member of a segregationist group, involved in Prince Edward Academy.
Reverend L. Francis Griffin
Reverend L. Francis Griffin
Pastor of a prominent Black church in Farmville and a civil rights leader. He played an essential role in advocating for school integration and reopening during the closures in Prince Edward County.
Barbara Johns
Barbara Johns
A student activist at Moton High School in 1951, who organized a strike over school conditions that contributed to a significant desegregation lawsuit.
Jason, Amaya, and Selma Hamilton
Jason, Amaya, and Selma Hamilton
Kristen Green's husband and daughters. Their experiences as a mixed-race family in Virginia provide perspective on racial dynamics and changes in the community.
336
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
Prince Edward County, Virginia • 1950s
2015
Adult
14-18 years
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