47 pages 1 hour read

Kristen Green

Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2015

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Before You Read

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County by Kristen Green recounts the history of Prince Edward County, Virginia, where public schools were closed from 1959 to 1964 to resist desegregation following the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling. Black students were left without formal education during this period, while a private school for white students was established. Green traces the historical events and their long-lasting community effects, interweaving her personal narrative as an alumna of the white-only academy and revealing her family's involvement in supporting school segregation. This book discusses racism and its profound impact on individuals and communities.

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Kristen Green’s Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County deftly blends personal memoir and historical analysis, offering a compelling look at a Virginia county's fight against school desegregation. The narrative is praised for its emotional depth and incisive research, though some critics note occasional repetitiveness. Overall, it’s a provocative read that illuminates a key civil rights struggle.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County?

Readers drawn to Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County by Kristen Green are typically interested in civil rights history and educational inequality. Fans of The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson would appreciate the book's exploration of systemic racism and personal narratives intertwined with historical events.

RecommendedReading Age

14-18years

Book Details

Genre

Journalism

Education

Themes

Identity: Race

Topics

Black Lives Matter

Race / Racism

Education