While
researching the book, I always came back to those childhood conversations about
looking beyond the frame. Then one afternoon, I found myself standing at a traffic
light with a few business people and tourists, waiting to cross the street. People
marched in front of and around us, holding both American and confederate flags,
draped in t-shirts with stars and stripes, or red banners. They carried signs
that read: “Build the Wall,” “Save America,” and “Teach facts not feelings.”
They chanted, “freedom, freedom, freedom.” But looking at the confederate flag,
and noting its history, I couldn’t help but think their view of freedom
differed from the marchers highlighted in
Together We March. As I stood there watching people pass, the words outside the frame came to me again.

Shouldn’t
I lay witness to their perspective as well? Isn’t this part of gaining a
panoramic view?

Instead
of waiting for a path to clear so I could continue across the street, I stepped
off the sidewalk and walked alongside the marchers. I listened to their chants,
took in their energy, and asked those around me: What brought you here to
march? What is this gathering for? What are you speaking out against? What
change do you want to see?

While
some ignored my questions and others waved their banners in response, one man
shouted, “to preserve my constitutional rights. To protect my America.” As I continued to walk along, for a few more blocks, I
turned over a new question in my head, what does it mean to march?

In
that moment, stepping off the sidewalk was not one of my favorite experiences, but
beyond my own discomfort, I came to understand a little more about marches and
the need for, any and all, to take to the streets to march to be heard. I asked
new questions.

As
your students conduct research, encourage them to look outside the frame. Have
them actively step into spaces that highlight a different aspect of their
primary story. Urge them to explore opposing views, whether in articles,
interviews, books or other creditable sources. Suggest that they read newspaper
headlines to find out what other events occurred at the same time and may have
affected their primary focus in surprising ways. This will help students gain more
context for the people and event being researched and highlighted.

Exploring
beyond the frame is not always comfortable or easy, and can often take a bit
more digging, but it is vital in providing a fully-rounded perspective and that
all-inclusive, panoramic view. Most importantly, it can help generate new
questions for discovery!

Leah
Henderson
loves stories—from tall-tales to those rooted in history. Her picture books
include A Day for Rememberin’, Daddy
Speaks Love, and the forthcoming Your
Voice, Your Vote. Her middle
grade novels are One Shadow on the Wall
and The Magic in Changing Your Stars.
Leah holds an MFA in writing and is on faculty at Spalding University’s
graduate writing program. Leah lives in Washington, D.C., home to many historic
marches.