Teaching for Change: How Septima Clark Led the Civil Rights Movement to Voting Justice

by Yvonne Clark-Rhines, Abigail Albano-Payton (Illustrator), Monica Clark-Robinson

Overview

This powerful picture book biography spotlights Septima Poinsette Clark, the civil rights leader who taught Black adults how to combat Jim Crow-era voting regulations. Written by Septima’s granddaughter, Yvonne Clark-Rhines, along with acclaimed author Monica Clark-Robinson, this is a must-have for readers who were moved by Hidden Figures, The Oldest Student, and I Am Ruby Bridges.

Septima Clark was born poor, Black, and a girl. Being one of those things in 1898 was hard, but all three meant that access to education was going to be a fight. But with strong, hard-working women in her life, a determination to learn, and a passion for knowledge, Septima learned to read and write against all odds.

With stunning art by debut illustrator Abigail Albano-Payton, this lyrical biography charts the monumental life of one tenacious woman—once referred to as The Mother of the Civil Rights Movement by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—who made it her mission to bring equity to literacy. Thanks to her efforts, the Black community was able to rise up against oppressive Jim Crow laws that tried to stifle their votes.

Septima persevered through adversity, discrimination, and even wrongful arrests to ensure that the road to liberation remained open for all people. This story is a testament to the power and importance of community-minded action. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063251601
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/27/2026
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Yvonne Clark-Rhines is the granddaughter of the legendary civil rights leader Septima Poinsette Clark. Raised by her beloved Mama Seppie from the age of four, she spent her early years at the Highlander Folk School in Monteagle, Tennessee, before moving to Charleston, South Carolina. As a teenager, Yvonne became an active participant in the civil rights movement, marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), as well as the local community in support of the Charleston Hospital strike, which demanded fair treatment for African American hospital workers. Inspired by her grandmother’s legacy, Yvonne dedicated over a decade of her life to working with the SCLC.

Yvonne later spent nearly three decades as a director of marketing and compliance for Medicare Health Plans. She now resides in Georgia with her family.

From a young age, Abigail Albano-Payton has used visual art to explore the world that surrounds her. Over the years, she began to raise discussions on social and racial equity, recognition, and homelife within her work. She graduated with a BFA at Laguna College of Art + Design. She has been featured in numerous exhibitions across the United States and published in editorials such as Blanc magazine, Southwest Art magazine, and more. In her spare time, Abigail loves to create personal work in her studio with her dog, Coco, by her side. abigailalbano.com

Monica Clark-Robinson is passionate about stories—writing them, acting them out onstage, and reading them. She believes that learning the stories of our past can help us build the story for our future. She is the author of Let the Children March, a Coretta Scott King Honor Book for Illustration and a Kirkus Best Book, and Standing on Her Shoulders, a Junior Library Guild Gold Choice. She lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, with her family.