Black Birds in the Sky by Brandy Colbert
A straightforward, nonfiction account of how Tulsa’s white residents attacked and razed Tulsa’s predominantly Black Greenwood District.
THEMES:
Race, History, Black, Racism
After generations of erasure and a concerted effort to cover up history, the story of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre is finally being told in a modern historical context. Following the alleged assault of a white woman by a Black man in an elevator, the thriving Black community of Greenwood, Oklahoma (also known as Black Wall Street), was heaved into violence and destruction when a white mob descended on the town to seek revenge. Colbert recounts the event in detail, piecing together accounts from survivors and news stories, though many newspaper articles were not recovered in full.
Colbert dives into the events directly preceding the massacre and gives ample context through the founding of Tulsa, mounting racial tensions in the region and elsewhere, the aftermath of Reconstruction, and the forcible removal of the Muscogee (Creek) people from the land. Her foreword frames her own upbringing in a majority white community and flows into the many historical and cultural factors that led up to the 1921 massacre, emphasizing the point that no one act of violence against a Black community can be viewed as an isolated event. Clear straightforward text, photos, and well-organized storytelling makes this an essential read for teens and adults alike (SLJ.com).
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Audiobook? Yes
Age Range: 14+
Read Time: 2 hours, 53 minutes (at 300 WPM)
ISBN-13: 9780063056664
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brandy Colbert is the award-winning author of several books for children and teens, including Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, which was a finalist for the American Library Association's Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Award; Stonewall Book Award winner Little & Lion; and The Only Black Girls in Town. Her books have been chosen as Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections, and have been named to many best of lists, including the ALA's Best Fiction for Young Adults and Notable Children's Books. Her writing has been published in the New York Times, and her short stories and essays have appeared in several critically acclaimed anthologies for young people. She is on faculty at Hamline University's MFA program in writing for children, and lives in Los Angeles.
Brandy Colbert joins the LA Public Library to discuss “Black Birds in the Sky” (November 2021, LA Public Library).
Brandy Colbert speaks with PCTV host Christine Napier about the Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the most shameful moments in our history. Brandy offers a searing historical account of the event and shows readers a way forward from our past (October 2021, Park City Television).
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