Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice

How does Tommie highlight how he developed his passion for running over the course of his life?

At the end of the memoir, Tommie said that he would raise his fist in protest again if he had to do his life over. What evidence do you see from earlier in his life that supports this claim?

Choose two role models that Tommie highlights in the novel and compare them. How was Tommie shaped by those around him?

Many of the moments in this book take place at schools. What did education mean to Tommie? Write an essay in which you analyze its role.

Tommie continues going to church in college each Sunday. Write an essay in which you explore Tommie’s relationship to his faith and how it affects him as a runner and as an activist.

What is the effect of incorporating different historical events in the novel? How does seeing these events help provide context to Tommie’s decision to become an activist?

Is this a hopeful book or is it a sad story? Tommie observed change within his lifetime, but it took decades and great sacrifice. How would this book have changed if it ended with Chapter 3? Why is Chapter 4 important to the theme of The Struggle for Equal Rights and Treatment of Black Activists?

How does Tommie continue to be influenced by his family even after he leaves home? How do his parents’ life experiences shape the advice they give their son? How does Tommie’s study of Black history develop his appreciation of his parents?