She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story

Effa Manley grew up being told "that's just the way it is." That was the reason why she (a lighter skinned black girl) shouldn't play with her darker skin siblings at school. That's why businesses in Harlem wouldn't hire black workers. That's why black players weren't allowed to play baseball. Effa never took "that's just the way it is" as an acceptable answer. She organized a strike until Harlem businesses started hiring black workers. She helped found a baseball league for black players. She championed for fair treatment for those teams. And when the baseball hall of fame didn't include many of the all-star black players she loved, she wrote them ceaselessly until they did.

I'd never heard of Effa Manley until I read this book, and I'm so glad I know her story. She was a woman of quiet courage and principles who left a mark on the world because she refused to leave unfair things alone. The writing is engaging and interesting, as are the illustrations, and I'm proud to share this book with my children. Highly recommend.