I Am the Spirit of Justice

Read by the author Jemar Tisby.

From New York Times bestselling author Jemar Tisby, I Am the Spirit of Justice uses lyrical text to take children on a journey through the history of the United States of America, highlighting the ways people have been fighting for justice from the very beginning.

The fight for civil rights in America didn’t begin in the 1960s—Black Americans have been working for justice, freedom, and equality since the first slave ships came to its shores. In I Am the Spirit of Justice, Jemar Tisby demonstrates that that arc of history bends toward equality. Throughout, the spirit of justice is personified as it moves through time, loving the oppressed and supporting the freedom fighters. The poetic text not only informs readers of the countless and often nameless people who have taken up the fight, it also inspires them to continue working for equality for all.

I Am the Spirit of Justice is the book companion to Jemar Tisby’s The Spirit of Justice and is cowritten by author and poet Malcolm Newsome and activist Nadia Fisher. This beautiful and sweeping book is a great introduction to the history of civil rights for the youngest readers and an important addition to the libraries of anyone working for justice.

I Am the Spirit of Justice is ideal for:

• Introducing children to important figures in the history of the civil rights movement


• Inspiring young readers to see the importance of justice in our world


• Teachers and librarians looking for resources for civil rights education, with an included bibliography and suggestions for further reading