The New York City Department of Education, the country’s largest (and most segregated) school system, will use Democratic Rep. John Lewis’ graphic novel series, March, to teach its students about the civil rights movement.
As part of the department’s Passport to Social Studies curriculum, eighth-grade teachers will use March to talk about the time from Lewis’ start in the civil rights movement to his speech at the 1963 March on Washington, reports Blavity.
“I am deeply moved that New York City Public Schools are adding March to the Social Studies curriculum. This is a major step to ensuring every young person receives the best possible education about Nonviolence and the Civil Rights Movement,” Lewis wrote on his Facebook page.
March is a graphic novel trilogy that has already hit No. 1 on the New York Times and Washington Post best-seller lists. Book 3 will be released in August.
Andrew Aydin, who co-authored the book with Lewis and Nate Powell, said that he hoped the inclusion of March will spark the use of more graphic novels in classrooms. The three authors spoke to New York City teachers about the book earlier this month.
Read more at Blavity.