Septima Clark Biography: Demo of Enhanced E-book

The video demonstrates the functionality of the enhanced e-book, starting by zooming in on the cover of the book showing the title Freedom’s Teacher, a sepia portrait of Septima Clark, and a round medallion with the words “Enhanced E-Book” in it. In the background is heard singing from a historic recording of Gullah people from the area where Septima Clark first taught on an island off the coast of South Carolina. Next a male voice begins, “Septima Clark lived from 1898 to 1987. Teacher and civil rights activist, she developed an adult literacy citizens’ education program that spread throughout the South and enabled tens of thousands of African Americans to register to vote.” A photograph of Clark as a young woman in front of a small house with a slanted roof and front porch appears, then another of Clark talking outdoors to a group of young people. “Freedom’s Teacher: The Life of Septima Clark,” continues the narrator, “is her story.” The image shifts to the book as shown on a digital tablet. “Freedom’s Teacher is published by University of North Carolina Press and is available in hardcover and paperback. It is also available as an e-book and an enhanced e-book. In this brief trailer, we would like to show you the enhanced e-book. The enhanced e-book is available on the Nook and the iPhone and iPad using the Kindle app, which we will now show you.” The image shifts to the tablet screen, where a finger selects the Kindle app and then selects Freedom’s Teacher from among the rows of book covers shown in the Kindle app. “Drawing from libraries, archives, and the author’s personal collection, the enhanced e-book includes photographs, newspaper articles, and audio interview excerpts.” The narrator’s finger is shown on the title page of the book. “The more than 60 audio clips—that’s more than three hours total—from oral histories with fifteen individuals are placed within the narrative exactly where they will be the most meaningful.” The narrator’s forefinger touches the list of enhancements to show them organized by chapter. “We’ll look at one now.” He touches one of the links, and a two-page spread from the interior of the book appears. At the top of the left-hand page is a round blue circle with a triangular speaker icon in it. “Just touch the player icon to listen. “Yeah, in my time,” says a woman’s voice, “I mean, we never buy food!” The narrator continues, “You can listen while browsing through the book or follow along in the transcript.” The transcript is shown. The woman’s voice continues, “We plant corn, plant peas, and . . .” The narrator continues, “Returning to the list of enhancements, we can hear the voice of Septima Clark herself. Again touching the player icon, which brings up the dedicated sound window at the bottom of the screen.” Clark’s recorded voice begins, “In a log cabin school with clay between the logs to keep out the . . .” The narrator stops the player and continues while swiping through several page spreads, “The enhancements include primary source documents such as this booklet, which offers practical advice to African American teachers in rural schools.” He clicks on the half-page illustration, and it increases to a full page, with the next page of the booklet on the facing page. “We’ll touch it to get a closer look and use our fingers to look even deeper.” Here the typewritten page increases in size and becomes more legible. The narrator’s finger moves the page down and then closes it by touching an icon at the upper left of the page. “We’ll see, too, that the author has provided new commentary on many of the enhancements. The enhanced e-book also offers a link to visit the archive where the interview or the document came from. Here we’re at the Avery Research Center at the College of Charleston.” The Avery Research Center website home page is shown; the narrator uses his finger to scroll down the webpage, then clicks to return to the book page. As the cover of the book reappears, the narrator concludes, “With nearly 100 enhancements including three hours of audio excerpts, the enhanced version of Freedom’s Teacher brings alive the story of a heroine of the long civil rights movement.” Images are shown, first a yellowed newspaper clipping titled “South Carolina Legally, Morally Owes Septima Clark $72,000,” next a photograph of Clark in middle age, next a photograph of Clark talking to a group of young white women who are holding bicycles, and next a handwritten letter mentioning a letter from the Peace Corps and a letter from Dr. King’s secretary. Clark’s voice is heard: “But things like that don’t bother me. I’ll get to my place when I get there. I’m not too worried. It took twenty-five years, I noticed, for things to change.” At this point a photograph of Clark with some grey hair is shown. Her voice continues, “And now I have so much attention! [laughing] It’s just something to think about!” The last screen shows the title, author, and ISBN of the book in white type on a black background.