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This picture book does a good job of depicting the Greenwood area of Tulsa, Oklahoma, with all its promise, and contrasting it with the sudden and violent destruction that the town faced at the hands of a white mob. It‘s done delicately enough for kids but doesn‘t mince words. I appreciated the author‘s and illustrator‘s notes in the back which gave more details and showed their personal connections to Tulsa and this moment in history.

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre tells the tragic story of the Tulsa‘s Greenwood district. The book begins with the explanation of the up and coming district that was attacked and burned down because of race riots. Carole Boston Weatherford portrays all of the complex issues throughout the book in a way that is easier to understand for kids.

Unspeakable uses an interesting combination of illustrations to portray the emotions of people throughout the story. The illustrator creates very realistic facial expressions throughout it the story. The illustrator and author portray this complex story in a compelling and explanatory way with out being aggressively graphic.

“All it took was one elevator ride, one seventeen-year-old white elevator operator accusing a nineteen-year old black shoeshine man of assault for simmering hatred to boil over“

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Floyd Cooper was published in 2021. This book won the Coretta Scott King Award for author and illustrator and received a Caldecott Honor and a Sibert Honor. This book is a creative non-fictional story and is about the history of African Americans in Tulsa's Greenwood district and the devastation that occurred in 1921 when a white mob attacked the Black community.

With vivid illustrations and haunting text, this juvenile nonfiction book tells of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, which has not been discussed until very recently. It‘s tragic and an event that should have come to light much sooner. At the end, the author and illustrator share their connection to violence toward Black Americans and to Tulsa. A must read.

Although this outstanding picture book begins with “once upon a time,” it‘s a tragic true story. The ugly truth about a white mob, jealous of the prosperity of Black citizens. In 1921, they looted & burned Black-owned homes & businesses. They prevented firefighters from putting out the blazes. Illustrator Floyd Cooper explains the further injury of calling it a race riot: insurance companies didn‘t have to pay for damages from a riot.

Once upon a time in Tulsa,
there was a community called Greenwood.
Its residents descended from Black Indians,
from formerly enslaved people, and from Exodusters,
who moved West in the late 1800s fleeing
the violence and racism of the segregated South.

Front endpapers: Floyd Cooper‘s painting of the Black community of Greenwood, Oklahoma in 1921.
Back endpapers: archival photo of Greenwood after white rioters burned down homes and businesses and killed 300 people.

I whole heartedly agree with this choice as it was a 5 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ read for me.

Best Picture Book #LitsyAwards2021

Juvenile Nonfiction. Does a great job of sharing this piece of forgotten history in a way helps young kids understand we need to take responsibility for the past, stand up against discrimination, and remain hopeful. #BBRC Early Reader #Screwdriver @LibrarianRyan #WinterGames2021 #TeamGameSleighers @StayCurious

I‘ve wanted to learn more about Tulsa‘s Black Wall St for some time and have not yet had an opportunity. This children‘s picture book spends the majority of its pages celebrating the accomplishments of Greenwood‘s citizens and detailing what it was like prior to the massacre. It‘s a shame what was done to this thriving community.

This picture book beautifully takes the reader through the building of Black Wall Street and all that it offered its residents at a time when Black people were barred from most of those services in white communities.

Then the heartbreaking turn of events as white police and city officials plotted with the white mob in what became the Tulsa Race Massacre where 300 Black people were killed, hundreds injured, and eight thousand left homeless.

First of all, RIP to the illustrator Floyd Cooper who passed away just last month.

This was a surprisingly informative and thorough picture book exploration of the Tulsa Race Massacre. It is emotionally devastating and powerful, with beautiful language and images. I would definitely recommend it for all ages 7+ looking to be better informed on this heinous part of history. Even as an adult, I learned from this.

#MayCharacters Day 9: The lives of people of color have historically been #marginal(ized). Two outstanding reads I cannot wait to devour and feature soon.

April #wrapup

April was a busy month and I didn‘t get a whole lot of reading done but I discovered children‘s author and illustrator Guojing and what an amazing talent.

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. The first time I heard of Black Wall Street was when a kid asked me about it for a school report a few years ago. It was never taught in my school. Then Watchmen (the series) came out and lots of people were asking if it was a real event. Yes, it was real and it is history we should be. THe real pictures and the information the authors included about their connection to this historical event were much appreciated.