Seven Million Steps: The True Story of Dick Gregory's Run for the Hungry

From award-winning creators, Derrick Barnes, Frank Morrison, and Dr. Christian Gregory comes the true story of comedian and activist Dick Gregory’s remarkable Food Run of 1976.

1 man. 1,011 hours. 3,200 miles. 7 million steps.

What would you do?

In April of 1976, Dick Gregory sets off on a Herculean and grueling two-and-a-half month run. His goal: to raise awareness about the epidemic of poverty and food insecurity in America.

Sleeping in motels and consuming nothing but fruit juices, vitamins and water, he runs from Los Angeles to New York City. And in each city, he stops to speak the truth about injustice. About the plight of the penniless. About the hopeless.

Lyrical text, stunning art, and compelling backmatter come together to ask you—yes you—what would you do if you had a wild idea to stand up for something you believe in? Find out how far Dick Gregory’s belief in feeding the hungry took him in this unforgettable story of an incredible journey that still reverberates today.

Urgent second-person lines invest readers in the protagonist’s effort prove as elegant as the visuals of Gregory moving fluidly across a range of landscapes. It’s a compassionate, powerfully told portrait.

- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

This collaborative picture book—cowritten with Gregory’s son—joyfully brings its subject’s voice to the mic... The work’s final question becomes a moving call to action—both to the Black child seen next to Gregory and to readers themselves. Morrison’s dynamic artwork is a feast for the eyes, with detailed brushstrokes rendering bodies in motion, gorgeous scenery, and expressive faces. - Kirkus (starred review)

Powerful prose and majestic pictures will profoundly move anyone who encounters this commemoration of a 1976 cross-country run for hunger by activist and comedian Dick Gregory.

- Booklist (starred review)

Barnes and Christian Gregory bring awareness to the problem of hunger in the United States. The use of second person allows readers to feel like they are a part of the trek, while Morrison's oil paintings provide a realistic interpretation of Gregory's run and the suffering of those experiencing hunger. - The Horn Book Inc.