The unsung heroes of a story are just as important (or more so sometimes) then the ones that get their names in the history books. And Georgia Gilmore did a very important thing: she put food into the tummies of people. An army cannot go far on an empty stomach and when the people of Montgomery, Alabama were walking to work and places instead of taking the bus, she helped by selling her pies. She helped make lunches. She gave her home for secret meetings and food was given to the men. One man had the name Martin.
Dee Romito’s Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott is a fantastic telling of how one ordinary woman risked everything (her job, her home, even her life) to help the Civil Rights movement in the early years.
Who knew that there was a group of women who baked and cooked to raise money for gas and to purchase cars to help with the boycott? Since it was extremely dangerous, only Gilmore knew who was helping her. They were the Club from Nowhere. And that is where the money came from “Nowhere.” And sadly, until now, that is where they stayed.
Laura Freeman should not be forgotten either. Her artwork is comfortable and edgy. They are a perfect complement to the text.
The afterwards also mentions a few women arrested before Rosa Parks. Sadly, they too have been lost to history. History is a funny thing and this book will be a great addition to a classroom where you can use this to talk about history and current events.