In her historical picture book, Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop, Alice Faye Duncan reminds us that struggling for something worthwhile, no matter how steep the climb, is worth every hardship and challenge encountered along the way. Alice Faye stopped by to talk about the book, her creative process, and the importance of writing about Southern history.
Your book, Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop, is about the Memphis Sanitation Strike of 1968 and Dr. Martin Luther King’s visit to the city. Describe the story.
MEMPHIS, MARTIN AND THE MOUNTAINTOP is a historical fiction picture book that presents the story of nine-year-old Lorraine Jackson. In 1968 she witnessed the sanitation strike, which was Dr. King’s last stand for justice before his assassination. The girl’s father, mother, and little Lorraine, sacrifice their comforts to march in the labor protest.
What did the settlement of the strike mean for Lorraine Jackson’s family?
Because her father is a Memphis sanitation worker, the strike settlement means that Mr. Jackson can return to work with the promise of a pay increase, safe work conditions, and fewer incidents of racial discrimination.
Why is it important for children to read books like Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop?
The reality of racism, injustice and unfair labor laws remain a constant in America. Children must read and be aware of the challenges they will face as adults. The struggle continues for all because economic injustice is not just a matter of racial identity. Unfair labor laws are about capitalists abusing American workers.
How important is research to you when writing a book?
Reading books for research is important. However, finding primary sources, who were a part of the history that interests me is the greatest research achievement. Almella Starks Umoja was a teacher, who marched with Dr. King during the sanitation strike. I was able to interview her on several occasions and this set a great foundation for my book.
How long did it take you to write Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop?
I started writing the story in 2005. My last draft was complete in 2015. I wrote about 8 different iterations of the story before I reached a final draft.
Did you ever have a rough patch in writing Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop where the story didn’t seem to come together? If so, how did you work through it?
The story came together finally, when I interviewed Almella in 2015. She told me a story about her sneaking out the house in the middle of a curfew to dry clothes at a laundromat, while National Guards patrolled the Memphis streets. This imagery and her daring spirit gave breath and bone to my story idea.
How important is it for authors to write books for children about events that occurred in the South?
The racist ideals that shaped the South—shaped all of America. Even now, only the landscape makes New York different from a Mississippi or Tennessee. And no matter the region, writers must share what happened in this country, so young readers can think critically and ultimately, eradicate egregious errors of the past.
Why was it important for you to write about the Memphis Sanitation Strike?
I grew up in South Memphis. My neighbors, family members, and church members participated in the strike. The strike is a part of my local history. Providence chose me to write this story.
Your book is being well received in the children’s book industry. What accolades has Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop received?
My book has received a star review in Kirkus and Booklist. It was also chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection for 2018.
How do you feel when people appreciate your work?
I don’t know how or where the words are born, when they fit just right. The magic of words and the way they work to shape ideas and imagery leaves me dumbfounded—everyday.
What inspires you to write?
Ideas come to me during the process of living, traveling, listening to music or reading books. Last week I was driving and passed a shabby apartment building. An idea popped in my head. I’ve got more book ideas than I have time to write.
Do your books carry a message?
I start each book with a metaphor in mind. Every book that I write has a theme, a message or prominent symbol. In MEMPHIS the dominant imagery is struggle—a mountain climb.
How much of yourself do you put into your books?
Each book carries my voice, my DNA, my bearing and being. I can hear myself in every book. My thumbprint is there. It’s very much like parents and children. I am the parent and each book is my child. Because I created the book, I see my likeness in it. And yet, each book retains its own individual distinction beyond me.
Do you have a day job other than being a writer?
I serve the city of Memphis as a librarian.
Tell us about an interesting or memorable encounter you had with a fan?
Once while paying for a purchase at the cosmetic counter, the sales clerk noticed my name on my credit card. She proceeded to run around the counter shouting, “THIS IS Alice Faye Duncan! THIS IS Alice Faye Duncan!” When she settled down, the clerk explained that her mother had gifted her a signed copy of my book, WILLIE JEROME, when she was a kid. WILLIE JEROME was her favorite book in grade school.
What advice would you pass on to aspiring children’s book writers that is unconventional but true?
Make it a point to celebrate and elevate others. The Universe has a long memory. It remembers every act of kindness and pays in compound interest.
Tell us about your upcoming books?
I wrote the first picture book biography on the life and times of Gwendolyn Brooks. The title is A SONG FOR GWENDOLYN BROOKS. The release date is January 2019.
I also wrote a book to celebrate the special bond between mothers and daughters. The title is JUST LIKE A MAMA. Charnelle Pinkney Barlow, who is Jerry Pinkney’s granddaughter, is the illustrator. The release date is Mother’s Day—2019.
What do you do in your free time?
I work full-time as a librarian and I write in my free time. You can find me writing every weekend and every holiday. During the summer months, I travel and write.
How can schools and event planners get in touch with you for school visits or speaking events?
My website is www.alicefayeduncan.com
Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop is available online and in book stores.
Alice Faye Duncan is a librarian and poet. She writes picture books for young readers and her favorite poem is “Things” by Eloise Greenfield
