Description: "An illustrated version of the civil rights anthem by Sam Cooke"--
Brief description: Nikkolas Smith is an artivist, award-winning picture book creator, and Hollywood film illustrator. His books include the New York Times bestselling The 1619 Project: Born on the Water, The History of WE, I Am Ruby Bridges, The Artivist, That Flag, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: The Courage to Dream, Captain America: A Hero Looks Like You, and My Hair Is Poofy & That's Okay. Known for his artistic depictions of marginalized voices, Nikkolas speaks on artivism around the world, sparking important conversations and inspiring positive change. Born in Houston, Texas, Nikkolas lives in Los Angeles, California with his family.
Review Quotes: Award-winning 'artivist' Smith transforms Cooke's 1964 anthem of hope into a stirring visual narrative that traces the Black American experience of the civil rights era through the eyes of a fictional photographer. In this newly imagined story, a young boy finds a camera by the river, and as he grows, his lens captures a world shaped by both racism and resilience. Vibrating with energetic brushwork and rhythmic layers of detail, Smith's sweeping digital paintings follow his journey through moments of struggle and progress: signs enforcing segregation, mourners at the funeral of Medgar Evers, the crowds at the March on Washington, and the signing of the Civil Rights Act. Shifting palettes and dynamic compositions heighten the emotional urgency in each scene. Smith's meticulous vision extends even to the typeface inspired by 1968 protest signs; set in shifting sizes, the text pulses across the pages, giving voice to the power of Cooke's music. A resonant coda shows a young girl poring over the photographer's prints, a heritage of both memory and hope. Followed by a spread identifying the many real events and figures woven into scenes aligning with the lyrics, notes by Smith and Cooke's granddaughter reflect on the iconic song's indelible impact on their lives. A profound and poetic work affirming the power of art to envision change-and to help make it happen.-- "Booklist, STARRED REVIEW"