TURNING 15 ON THE ROAD TO FREEDOM

917-206-4600

Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom tells the moving, true story of Lynda Blackmon, one of the youngest participants in the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965.  Jailed nine times before her fifteenth birthday, Lowery fought alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. to secure the right to vote for African-Americans.Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom tells the moving, true story of Lynda Blackmon, one of the youngest participants in the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965.  Jailed nine times before her fifteenth birthday, Lowery fought alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. to secure the right to vote for African-Americans.

education

For information about performances at your school, contact
Miranda Barry at miranda@sheedylit.com
or 646-919-0440


I really believe that the play will be a transformative moment . . . that some of the children will be able to look back on as adults and say, ‘That was when . . . .’ Thank you.
— Assistant Principal, Columbia High School, Maplewood, NJ
This cast and production should be shown in every middle school and high school across the country so young people today can understand and learn how they too can make a difference in this country. Thank you for your exquisite presentation and hope you will be back again to enlighten another group of young and not so young people.”
— Audience member, Arts Garage, Delray Beach, FL

Our Teaching Guide

Fabulous. We loved everything. The acting was fantastic, the singing was beautiful. It inspired my daughter to join the student council for next year! THANK YOU!
— audience member, Miami, FL.
Very important and relevant play that ties in directly with issues going on in society today.
— audience member, Miami, FL.

Awards and Honors for the book

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2018 Nominated for the Georgia Children’s Book Award

2016 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

2016 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Winner, Older Children

2016 Amelia Bloomer List, Middle Grade–Nonfiction

Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2015, Teen

Booklist Best Young Adult Books of 2015

Booklist Editor’s Choice 2015, Nonfiction, Older Readers

Bulletin Blue Ribbon 2015, Nonfiction

ALA Notable Books for Children 2016, Older Readers

Chicago Public Library Best Books of 2015, Informational Books for Older Readers

2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 6–8

2016 CCBC Choices–Historical People, Places, and Events

2015 Cybils Awards Nomination, Young Adult Nonfiction


Congrats on a wonderful performance run. It was a treat to observe the student and teacher reactions to the performances as it was very apparent how touched they were.
— Rosa Hyde, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ
Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom had my adult and student performance attendees spellbound - the story is riveting and relevant, the acting is passionate and appropriately intense. This is a show every one of us should see.
— Marjorie Waldo, Arts Garage, Delray Beach, FL.