Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.45 AVERAGE
4.45 AVERAGE
I picked this up after hearing an interview with the author on the "Here's Where It Gets Interesting" Podcast. (Go give it a listen!)
An interesting thing to note: I was expecting a history of Tulsa's Greenwood neighborhood and the massacre that occurred there. I was somewhat surprised when we got to what I believed would be the climax of the book in the first third. "What is the rest of the book about?" I thought briefly. Well, that's the key thing about this book. It's as much about what took place that night in 1921 as it is the aftermath, the intergenerational trauma and its effect on survivors, their descendants, and the community for the decades following the event itself -- the aftershocks were just as important and this discussion of them is what sets this book apart a historical analysis.
An interesting thing to note: I was expecting a history of Tulsa's Greenwood neighborhood and the massacre that occurred there. I was somewhat surprised when we got to what I believed would be the climax of the book in the first third. "What is the rest of the book about?" I thought briefly. Well, that's the key thing about this book. It's as much about what took place that night in 1921 as it is the aftermath, the intergenerational trauma and its effect on survivors, their descendants, and the community for the decades following the event itself -- the aftershocks were just as important and this discussion of them is what sets this book apart a historical analysis.
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
informative
reflective
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
emotional
informative
tense
slow-paced
As retribution for the alleged accosting of a white woman (which didn't happen), white Tulsa massacred the Black neighborhood, Greenwood, in 1921. To add insult to injury, they then actively sought to defraud the people whose homes and businesses they destroyed. Thoroughly researched and told through historical documents and first hand accounts from several, focusing on the prominent Goodwin family, this book details the lead up to and aftermath of the devastation to the present time where survivors and descendants of those attacked are still seeking some type restitution. While initially focused on Greenwood, the focus of the book expands to encompass the country and several other events that have taken place in the fight for equality and equity. At points it perhaps tries to bring in too much but I think that might just be the point. All these events combine for a systemic and overwhelming impact on our Black countrymen. These past traumas and the ongoing consequences must be faced for us to be a stronger country. This book is hopefully a step in educating white America on why that needs to be done.
Thanks to Random House for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to Random House for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.