Speak no evil

Graphic novel

Speak no evil

The Silence of Our Friends

This graphic novel recounts—from the point of view of Mark Long, who was a boy, and his father, a television reporter—the civil rights efforts to end segregation in Houston, Tex., in 1968. The Long family had recently relocated, and thanks at least in part to an integrated Army experience, no longer blindly accepted the racism around them. The elder Long’s coverage of the rising civil-rights movement—and his friendship with one of its leaders—led to a friendship between the families that crossed racial and social boundaries. It also offended the overtly racist whites, including the Longs’ neighbors and employers. This graphic novel tells the story with historical detail and a child’s perception of the times, with detailed art by Jim Demonakos and Nate Powell. It is both an excellent recounting of one moment in Houston history and a snapshot of America in the middle of great change.

—Kel Munger