Winner of a DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Award, honoring excellence in religious communications and public relations.
Readers' Favorite® 5 Star Award Winner
Hazel Scott was a champion for civil and women’s rights. Born in Trinidad in 1920, she moved with her family to the United States in 1924, where she played her first professional recital at age 5 and was accepted as a private student to study piano at The Juilliard School, a private performing arts conservatory in New York City, at age 8. By the time she was thirteen, she was being booked for performances as “Little Miss Hazel Scott—Child Wonder Pianist,” and soon afterward became an accomplished singer as well. In 1938, she was cast in her first Broadway musical—Sing Out the News. Shortly afterward, she recorded her first solo album—Swinging the Classics: Piano Solos in Swing Style with Drums—and appeared in her first film, Something to Shout About. As her musical and film career grew, she made headlines by standing up for the rights of women and African Americans, and she refused to play for segregated audiences. When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., led the March on Washington in August, 1963, Hazel led a march in Paris, where she was living, in front of the American Embassy. She learned about the Bahá’í Faith from Dizzy Gillespie and became a Bahá’í on December 1, 1968. She passed away in 1981.
We invite you to learn more about this “Change Maker” and the enduring impact she had on race relations through her performing arts.
See other books in the Change Maker Series
Hazel Scott: A Woman, a Piano and a Commitment to Justice
This picture book biography shines a spotlight on Hazel Scott, a virtuoso pianist, singer, and trailblazer who used her talent and influence to fight for justice. Engle traces Scott’s life from her prodigious beginnings as a child pianist in Harlem, through her rise to international acclaim in jazz and classical music, to her outspoken stand against racial segregation and McCarthy-era persecution. The narrative emphasizes Scott’s refusal to compromise her values—whether demanding nondiscriminatory performance venues or testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee—while celebrating her artistry and courage.Mazibuko’s rich, expressive illustrations capture both the glamour of Scott’s performances and the strength of her convictions. Verdict: A dynamic and overdue tribute to a pioneering Black woman who blended art and activism.
Great writing and illustrations
The Change Maker series is great, and this book is excellent. Hazel Scott was an amazing woman and I'm glad I learned more about her. The writing is good and explains difficult subjects well for younger readers.