You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
Isaiah Wilson is a bit of a troublemaker along with his best friend Muggy. He is a devote of WEB du Bois. Angel Hill is a bit of a loner and loves Booker T. Washington. The two are brought together by their English teacher for a special project taking books to underprivileged areas of Greenwood. While working, the two become closer and Isaiah reforms a bit while Angel loosens up. When tragedy strikes Greenwood in the middle of the night, the two must rise up to help save their community.
This is based off of the destruction of Black Wall Street. I hadn't know much about it and appreciated the afterward that gave a little of the history. It took a little bit to get into but quickly picked up speed.
This is based off of the destruction of Black Wall Street. I hadn't know much about it and appreciated the afterward that gave a little of the history. It took a little bit to get into but quickly picked up speed.
I have no words. This book is beautiful and heartbreaking. Please read it; there is so much work still to do.
A bit slower paced than I usually like, but had some really powerful characters and writing.
I have been wanting to read this book since it came out, but it hadn't made it to the top of the pile until now. While overall I think it is a good book, I had some trouble staying focused on all the details in the first half of the book, but I stuck with it bc I thought it was an important topic to read about. The last part of the book was very engaging and kept me involved. The author's description of the horrific events was very well done, and I felt several of the emotions as I was reading.
Even at my later middle age i had not heard about the Greenwood/Tulsa events until just fairly recently. It just makes me SICK to know that human beings were on both sides of these awful things. That white people had such hate and mental illness to think it was okay to execute such violence towards other human beings, and that black people had to experience this shear terror and pain executed by others. I truly live a sheltered life.
Even at my later middle age i had not heard about the Greenwood/Tulsa events until just fairly recently. It just makes me SICK to know that human beings were on both sides of these awful things. That white people had such hate and mental illness to think it was okay to execute such violence towards other human beings, and that black people had to experience this shear terror and pain executed by others. I truly live a sheltered life.
I don’t even know what to say about this book. I am shook. It is an amazing rollercoaster of feelings and should be required reading for every high schooler.
Quick read, kind of YA-style although of course the content regarding the Tulsa Massacre is very violent and intense. I thought it was interesting how the author spent the majority of the book not talking about the massacre at all. It didn't even happen until 75% through. The first 3/4 of the book were just a sweet, simple love story between the two teenage protagonists. In the afterward, she explains how this book originated as a story of "her Wakanda" which was an innocent, carefree world where her Black children could grow up and fall in love without thinking about racism, and that she only added the part about Greenwood later on after speaking with an historian. The book definitely reflected this, as the main point of it seemed to be to demonstrate how thriving and successful Greenwood was in 1921 prior to the violence. If you cut off the last 5 chapters or so, you would just think, wow what a sweet wholesome story about some teenage romance. The massacre part *did* feel a little tacked on (because it was), but I like how the author is trying to share about this important history as well, and honor the victims and the survivors.
Reading this, I kept thinking about how a similar book could be written about my current city, Wilmington, NC. Like Tulsa, most of the residents of Wilmington were unaware of its violent past and the 1898 coup until just recently when activists started educating our community about it. It's a very similar story of a thriving Black community that was a little *too* thriving for the white people who lived there, resulting in resentment and violence. I'm glad these stories are being told now, as tragic and horrific as they are.
Reading this, I kept thinking about how a similar book could be written about my current city, Wilmington, NC. Like Tulsa, most of the residents of Wilmington were unaware of its violent past and the 1898 coup until just recently when activists started educating our community about it. It's a very similar story of a thriving Black community that was a little *too* thriving for the white people who lived there, resulting in resentment and violence. I'm glad these stories are being told now, as tragic and horrific as they are.
I gave this a higher rating as a YA novel, because it has a good storyline to pull YA audience in as well as inform them of historical events of importance.
I'll be honest. This new book caught my eye for everything but it's description. I adore the author's name: Randi Pink. I haven't researched whether it's a pen name or real name, but I figured a story by a chick named Randi Pink has to be worth reading. Next, the cover art is striking! Beautiful brown skin girl with thick natural hair. Bold primary colors of red and blue background with white writing. I correctly assumed the story was historical fiction based on the title. I didn't need to read the description since I was already interested by this point. Advance copy accepted!
Seventeen-year-old Isaiah is the town troublemaker with a secret: he is actually an avid reader and poet. He never leaves home without his journal and is a follower of W.E.B. Du Bois. He believes black people should rise up and claim their place as equals. Sixteen-year-old Angel is known as a goody-goody church girl. She follows Booker T. Washington and believes black people should rise slowly without conflict. The two opposite teenagers are offered a chance to work together on a mobile library.
On May 31, 1921, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a white mob storms the town in what becomes known as the Greenwood Massacre of 1921. The town is left destroyed and thousands displaced. Isaiah and Angel then realize they aren't each other's enemy and must agree in order to survive. The amount of black history, black literature references and activism methods are what makes this book a good read. The themes explored may open your mind to how others think, regardless of their race. The main message I walked away with is: pride in your community!
Bookhearts, add Angel of Greenwood to your reading lists for Black History Month 2021. Do additional research while reading to get the full context then share it with others. And to the powers that be, please consider adapting Angel of Greenwood on film. It will make a powerful picture!
Happy Early Pub Day, Randi Pink! Angel of Greenwood will be available Tuesday, January 12, 2021.
~LiteraryMarie
Seventeen-year-old Isaiah is the town troublemaker with a secret: he is actually an avid reader and poet. He never leaves home without his journal and is a follower of W.E.B. Du Bois. He believes black people should rise up and claim their place as equals. Sixteen-year-old Angel is known as a goody-goody church girl. She follows Booker T. Washington and believes black people should rise slowly without conflict. The two opposite teenagers are offered a chance to work together on a mobile library.
On May 31, 1921, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a white mob storms the town in what becomes known as the Greenwood Massacre of 1921. The town is left destroyed and thousands displaced. Isaiah and Angel then realize they aren't each other's enemy and must agree in order to survive. The amount of black history, black literature references and activism methods are what makes this book a good read. The themes explored may open your mind to how others think, regardless of their race. The main message I walked away with is: pride in your community!
Bookhearts, add Angel of Greenwood to your reading lists for Black History Month 2021. Do additional research while reading to get the full context then share it with others. And to the powers that be, please consider adapting Angel of Greenwood on film. It will make a powerful picture!
Happy Early Pub Day, Randi Pink! Angel of Greenwood will be available Tuesday, January 12, 2021.
~LiteraryMarie