John Lewis wanted a books. Lots of them. John’s family couldn’t afford books and his school didn’t have very many books. What John needed was a library card, but in 1956 John, age 16, was denied a library card at Pike County Public Library in Troy, Alabama. There were many laws that were unfair to Blacks and John decided to fight against them. He organized sit-ins at lunch counters and stand-ins at movie theaters.

This biography of civil rights leader John Lewis follows the storyline of his desire to read and get a library card. It shows how he fought back against the unjust laws of the time and the impact he has had on our nation. At the end, there is a timeline of John Lewis’s life and a bibliography to learn more.