# Follow Chester!: A College Football Team Fights Racism and Makes History - Hardcover

by **Gloria Respress-Churchwell** (Author), **Laura Freeman** (Illustrator)

**A little-known civil rights hero and college football MVP finally gets a voice in this fictional account detailing Chester Pierce's game-changing role as the first Black college football player to compete south of the Mason-Dixon Line.**

In 1947, no African American player can play at a southern school; in return, the opposing team benches a player of "equal talent." This historical fiction picture book frames a turbulent time in the civil rights era with the clever use of a football play to show race relations and teamwork. Inspired by a true story, capturing a historic defense against the Jim Crow laws of the South.

### Author Biography

Gloria Respress-Churchwell has an MFA in writing for children from Simmons College and has produced and directed documentaries at the Nashville Film Festival including award-winner _The Life of Robert Churchwell: The Jackie Robinson of Journalism_ and _From Sag to Swag: The Power of Dress._ She is a co-contributor of the Robert Churchwell Journalism Collection to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Laura Freeman has illustrated more than twenty children's books, including _Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race_ by Margot Lee Shetterly, the Nikki & Deja series by Karen English, and _Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe_ by Deborah Blumenthal. Her art can be found on a wide range of products, from dishes to textiles to greeting cards. Laura is originally from New York City and now lives in Atlanta with her husband and two children.

**Number of Pages:** 32

**Dimensions:** 0.5 x 11.2 x 8.8 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** September 17, 2019

**Accelerated Reader:**

**Quiz Name:** Follow Chester!: A College Football Team Fights Racism and Makes History

**Interest Level:** Lower Grades, K-3

**Reading Level:** 3.6

**Point Value:** 0.5

## Details

- **Price:** 16.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 16.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Follow Chester!: A College Football Team Fights Racism and Makes History - Hardcover

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> Updated: 2026-07-23