Three Lines in a Circle: The Exciting Life of the Peace Symbol

Long (Troublemaker for Justice) recounts the origins of the peace sign for a new generation of young activists in this brief history of a now-ubiquitous symbol. In 1958, British graphic designer and peace activist Gerald Holtom created the simple design—three lines in a circle—for a 50-mile march to protest nuclear weapons. An endnote explains that the lines represent a combination of semaphore letters for N and D, standing for “nuclear disarmament.” Succinct free verse describes how the humble insignia began populating protest movements around the globe, “standing for/ peace/ for all/ and especially for” marginalized folks, including “Black people/ and/ Brown people/ women/ and/ poor people/ LGTBQ+ people/ and/ people with disabilities.” The soft textures and rich hues of artist Vélez’s illustrations recall 1960s art, for example that of U.S. anti-war protests. Crowds of variously inclusive protestors fill colorful culminating spreads, the peace logo displayed on banners, quilts, and signs. In four stark white circles that pop against this backdrop, the author enumerates current social movements (“Peace and BLACK LIVES MATTER!”), bringing the narrative to the present-day. In an empowering ending, Holtom hands off his symbol to today’s youth. Back matter offers a much more detailed history of the peace symbol plus a recent protest timeline. Ages 3–7. [em](Aug.) [/em]