To that end, we decided to use The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA as a jumping off point for learning more about the complexity of life in the south after World War II. At times while reading this book, students struggled with what was real and what was fictionalized. Historical fiction is still just that-fiction. Most of all, they wanted to know why Meriwether had to keep his role in World War II a secret. They wanted to know about the Negro Motorist Green Book, the Battle of the Bulge, and the all-black 761st Tank Battalion. Students related to the characters, and they begged for “one more chapter” each day.Īs we read this book, students had many questions. It opened their eyes to a time period that was new to them, and encouraged them to think about perspective when considering historical events. This book was an important read aloud for my fifth graders. As his friendship with Meriwether grows, Gabriel becomes painfully aware of just how unwelcoming the Jim Crow South is. Gabriel thanks Meriwether, a black World War II veteran, for saving his life by getting him a job at his father’s garage. The year is 1946 in the town of Birdsong, and Gabriel Haberlin is riding his new bicycle when he is pushed out of the path of a speeding car by Meriwether Hunter. This historical fiction novel takes place in a small southern town, and highlights the mistreatment of black World War II veterans in the years following the war.
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