Customer Reviews

If We Must Die: A Novel of Tulsa's 1921 Greenwood Riot (Chaparral Books)

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This novel introduces readers to the Tulsa race riots which occured in 1921. It also discusses the topics of racism, segregation, the KKK and more. Though I really enjoyed the book, my students (high schoolers with EBD) did not really seem interested. A few of them really enjoyed it, but most of them complained that they were bored (though they nearly always say that, even when they are sometimes interested). If you're looking for a different novel with a serious note, I would recommend this one. It does use some language that is offensive, but I forwarned students and explained how that was okay during that time period. We discussed why it isn't okay to use similar words today and how it makes people feel. Unfortunately, there is no audio recording of the book and no movie to follow up with, though there is a documentary on the Greenwood Riots from the History Channel.

I highly recommend "If We Must Die: a Novel of Tulsa's 1921 Greenwood Riot" by Pat Carr. As the book compares Berneen O'Brien's new work experiences to her past and present home experiences, it explores the diversity within the black community in which she, the heroine, has recently started working. The book is about this young woman's awakening to the immense beauty in diversity and, how being surrounded by a completely new culture profoundly affects her. When Berneen, who is "Black Irish", digs back into her youth and recalls being told to stay out of the sun to keep from becoming too dark, the author raises the subject of our lack of tolerance as individuals in general. She then accentuates the point by bringing up the brown paper bag method utilized to exclude darker blacks from joining a club of lighter blacks. Masterfully Carr touches on our universal need for acceptance by placing Berneen in a situation where she discovers that the reason she has been so completely embraced by this community is because she's been mistaken as a black person by them. After some delay young Berneen ponders on conflicting information from her Uncle and her black Principal, Nelson Flowers, to whom she is attracted. The story explores how she has to evaluate the integrity of both individuals in order to determine the truth. Because she worked and lived in both cultures, Berneen is able to fully weigh the character of each group to help us, the readers, draw our own conclusions. Every thing comes alive as historical facts from the actual race riot are illustrated in critical events that forever change the lives of the vibrant characters that we come to know and love. This story is enormously moving; and, I'd love to see it translated on to the big screen with Mila Kunis and Will Smith in the leading rolls.