Customer Reviews

Riot and Remembrance: The Tulsa Race War and Its Legacy

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I had only heard of the Tulsa race riot of 1921 a few years ago, even though I went to high school in the early 1980s in Bartlesville, OK, 45 miles north of Tulsa (and have driven on the highways that now run through the Greenwood section more times than I can count). I remember the fear that was passed on to me about that section of Tulsa and the dread of facing students from its high school whenever we played them in football, a darker fear than seemed warranted for a city of its size. Now, knowing the history of the race riots and the fears both sides had of sparking another one, I understand why.

Hirsch does an amazing job of piecing together from both "official" and oral history the story of the riot, as well as what led up to it, and the racial climate surrounding the event. While he clearly favors the "black" side of the story, he doesn't give in to the most extreme views, and he does give the "white" views time and space. He also points out the difficult questions of reparations, and why there are no easy answers. Most importantly, "Riot and Remembrance" shows the readers why history can never be neatly tied up and packaged. We will probably never know the details of what happened on the ugly night and day of May 31-June 1, 1921, in Tulsa. We'll never know for sure the death toll, or what exactly was in the hearts of the African-Americans, the "ruffian" white, or the city leaders who coveted the Greenwood land. But at least with Hirsch's book, we have a chance to ponder all sides and draw our own conclusions.

And, by the way, this is one Oklahoman who thinks the state and city SHOULD pay reparations in the form of scholarships and economic development in North Tulsa. I suspect I am in the minority, though!

On May 31st, 1921, a race riot broke out in Tulsa, Oklahoma which resulted in the loss of about 300 lives and destruction of many homes, businesses, and hotels. The riot occurred due to a major misunderstanding between the white and African American communities; this misunderstanding was a result of segregation and the political and social attitudes of the day. The effects of the riot made a big scar in Tulsa's history; even today Tulsa is trying come to terms with the events surrounding the riot.

In "Riot and Remembrance", James Hirsch does an excellent job describing the riot from the perspectives of both communities. Besides just stating facts and figures, Mr. Hirsch offers his own analysis on how the riot occurred. His lengthy and thoughtful research is apparent due to the many sources that he references in the course of the book. Mr. Hirsch also remains objective in portraying both sides of the riot.

The most moving parts of the book are the tales from the survivors, and what the survivors have done after the riot. I especially like how the book starts with stories from the riot itself; the perspective then changes to the events leading up to the riot.

I've enjoyed both of Mr. Hirsch's books, "Hurricane" and "Riot and Remembrance", and I am looking forward to the next one!

Finally,the 1921 Tulsa race riot is examined in a serious book published by a mainstream publisher. The disgraceful actions of that day have been deliberately ignored or played down for decades. James S. Hirsch does a masterful job of bringing this ugly and still little known piece of history to life.

Kimberley Lindsay Wilson, author of Work It! The Black Woman's Guide to Success at Work.

I read Martha Southgate's novel of three generations of black Tulsa women, each hiding a horrible tragedy. The name of the book is THIRD GIRL FROM THE LEFT. The oldest woman, Mildred, has lived through the Tulsa race riots of 1921 and has kept her secrets well. After reading this accomplished novel I wanted to know more about the holocaust in Tulsa, and to find out why it was so underreported at the time and for the next 50 years. James Hirsch's book seems to be about the best of a new crop of revisionist history, and I read the whole thing in about two and a half hours.

At this late date there is no smoking gun, and a five month search for rumored mass graves in the surrounding areas of Tulsa proper turned up nothing out of the ordinary. That will never stop people from assuming that more than the 36 victims of vigilante action were killed, their bodies disposed of summarily. Hirsch thinks that the figure is probably somewhere between 75 and 300. Thousands of people lost their homes, and acres of Greenwood, the so called "black Wall Street" were burned to the ground. The famed historian John Hope Franklin came to Tulsa four years after the riots and bears witness today to the sense that, in 1920 black Oklahomans had made some definite progress, but after the catastrophe they lost their confidence and never could make up the backwards steps. Of course trauma studies indicate that such a devastating blow can never be recuperated, not entirely. That is why the issue of reparations has come to the forefront of the debate in recent times, for it seems, following Freud, that money is the only thing that people really sit up and take notice of, and as such it is the only proper way of dissolving guilt from human relations. (One of Hirsch's chapters is called, "Money, Negro," which is what Hope Franklin told a black politician who asked him what reparations represent.)

The latter half of the book is almost a personality parade as two men, the aforemention pol, Don Ross, squares off against the driven, white liberal who wrote extensively about the forgotten tragedy as early as 1971--Scott Ellsworth. Neither of the two men care a fig about the other, it's plain to see, while elegant, courteous and magisterial John Hope Franklin rises above it all with his super acuity and his refusal to bend principles.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I had to read it for my history class, and I'm glad this is one of the books he picked for us. I will have my kids read this book when they are older. The history makes you more appreciative, and humble.

Great book. Shipped timely and in the condition stated. Will deal with this vendor again.

this is a well put together book. the history of which was only 85 years ago is ugly but yet THE BURNINGS CONTINUE. the history of tulsa oklahoma at least on the black side demonstrates that blacks were never lazy and that we wanted a piece of the "american pie". in 2006 after the death of Mrs. King it will take you more than two hands to count the burnings of churches after her death. THE BURNINGS STILL CONTINUE. this book demonstrates that blacks are not lazy,or even 3/5ths of a human being or sub-human rather. ever since 1619 8 years after the king james bible, us blacks wanted all the good things in life as well. it took a long time to come, but we started to do for self rather than have it done for us by masters who did not know us or care! if we could not live along side the masters we lived next door meaning on the other side of town. naturally we would build a church and a school and yet still be slaves. now if our town that we built up became to nice, or just better than theres they would riot. before 1865 and well into the early 1900,s all riots were white inspired. riots were synonymous with whites only. only free people could riot. a slave held against his will does not riot but revolt and obviously thats what all living things do when held against there will.
a phrase by public ememy is " it took a nation of millions to hold us people back". (i can see why the kkk wears the mask, because you might of had presidents out ther lynching as well) this book demonstates how media,police,mayor and even govenor was all part of what was conspired against the black people of tulsa. reader if you research media you will find all types of racist media that inspired riots. in this book the media lied as usually, and said a black boy sexually assualted a white girl. next thing you know everything is burned down and hundreds of people die. this book covers one riot in one city. there were hundreds of riots maybe even thousands in different cities all for the same reason; to keep the black man down! but tulsa was a lot different obviously because it was compared to wall street which is synonymous with money. this is a great book but i encourage the readers to get a book first on riots in general and then get a book on a riot per riot. fire is synonymous with the white man. in europe where it was cold and always cloud covered they had no sunshine(no tans either)so they worshipped fire. today the racist christians burn there own cross? THE BURNING STILL CONTINUES AND ITS TIME FOR THEM "TO GET OVER IT" like us blacks are told so often.

In addition to an important new chapter about race relations in America, James Hirsch's book is must reading for anyone interested in how histories are suppressed and can be rescued. There is no more important story that no one knows than the one covered here. The fact that the Tulsa riot never made it into our history books makes one wonder what other aspects of our collective past have slipped our notice.