Barrier-Breaker Bios

When she was only eight years old, Sylvia Mendez was part of a legal battle that ended segregation for Hispanic students in California. Seven years later, that barrier-breaking court case set a precedent for ending segregation across the country for students of all races and backgrounds. With this biography, readers will learn how Sylvia Mendez's parents fought for Hispanic students in California, how Mendez herself persevered through court cases and harassment at her new school, and how she is fighting for students today. A timeline and sidebars illustrate the connections between Mendez and other court cases for equality.

In an era when the music world thought only Westerners could truly understand Western classical music, Chinese-American cellist Yo-Yo Ma broke barriers and defied expectations. Through his musical skill and exceptional passion, he showed that classical music is for everyone. With mentorships and impromptu street concerts, Yo-Yo Ma has headed programs to bring classical music around the world. This biography uses easy-to-read text, vibrant photographs, engaging sidebars, and fun fact boxes to introduce kids to this barrier-breaking icon.

This biography explores the life and career of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who broke through numerous barriers to become the second woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court. An icon of equality for her many admirers, Ginsburg experienced discrimination as a working wife and mother, which inspired her to fight for gender parity. Aided by fun facts and intriguing sidebars, readers will learn about Justice Ginsburg's education, accomplishments, and influences, as well as fun details like her sense of style and her love of opera.

Growing up in a poor, migrant family, Cesar Chavez knew how hard life could be. As a boy, he went to thirty different schools before finally having to drop out in eighth grade to help support his family. Chavez devoted his life to creating unions and demanding better working conditions for all farmworkers. This gripping biography traces Chavez's life, highlighting the triumphs and difficulties that he encountered. Sidebars and a timeline provide extra information that shows Chavez's importance to workers' movements in the United States and beyond.

Before there was Rosa Parks, there was Claudette Colvin. This fearless black teenager, who studied civil rights at her segregated high school in Montgomery, Alabama, refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white person. She felt and believed it violated her rights as a United States citizen. Colvin began a movement that led to the Montgomery bus boycott, a pivotal event in the civil rights movement. Fast facts and sidebars support the narrative and provide intriguing asides about the quiet girl who sat for what she believed in.

As the first African American woman to become a principal dancer for a major ballet company, Misty Copeland has broken barriers in the world of dance. Biography fans will learn about Copeland's rise from challenging circumstances to premier ballerina, including her childhood, her early dance lessons, and difficulties she overcame. Fast facts and intriguing sidebars teach students about Misty Copeland's influences, her perseverance, and the ways she is giving back to underserved communities today.