# Traveling Shoes: The Story of Willye White, Us Olympian and Long Jump Champion - Hardcover

by **Alice Faye Duncan** (Author), **Keith Mallett** (Illustrator)

**Untold until now, here is the story of Black sprinter and long-jumper Willye B. White, who went from picking cotton as a child in Mississippi to competing and winning in the 1956 and 1964 Olympics.**

Future Olympian Willye B. White was born in 1939 in Money, Mississippi--but money was exactly what she didn't have. Abandoned by both her parents, she worked alongside her grandparents in the cotton fields. Willye had big dreams, though. So when her cousin noticed she was the fastest runner around, Willye jumped at the chance to put on her traveling shoes and run her way to better opportunities. And run Willye did, first for the Tennessee State Tigerbelles and then for the US Olympic team. Her struggles weren't over though--time and again, Willye had to remind herself, "I believe in me," whether she was running and jumping or witnessing the turmoil of the Civil Rights Movement.

Through Alice Faye Duncan's signature combination of poetry and prose and Keith Mallett's lifelike illustrations, readers will be inspired by Willye White's persistence and will learn how she contributed to Black progress with muscle and grit.

### Author Biography

**Alice Faye Duncan** is the author of multiple children's books, including _Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop_, which received a 2019 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor and five starred reviews. Her most recent books include _Opal Lee and What it Means to Be Free_, _Evicted!_, and _Yellow Dog Blues_, illustrated by Chris Raschka.

**Keith Mallett** is a painter, etcher, and ceramic artist, who has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award. In 2017, he created the Google doodle celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. He has multiple picture books, including _Runaway: The Daring Escape of Ona Judge_, and _Curve & Flow: The Elegant Vision of L.A. Architect Paul R. Williams_.

**Number of Pages:** 48

**Dimensions:** 0.4 x 11.2 x 8.7 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** October 24, 2023

## Details

- **Price:** 18.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 18.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Traveling Shoes: The Story of Willye White, Us Olympian and Long Jump Champion - Hardcover

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> Updated: 2026-07-23