This was fantastic! I love the journalistic narration, the quotes that bring the history to life, and the comparisons to the modern day that show how little we truly learn. Take some time today to read about the Tulsa Race Massacre. You do yourself a disservice hiding from history. We must embrace our past, even when it's shameful, in order to avoid repeating events. Also, the audiobook is amazing!

Bear in mind that while this happened a century ago, it is far from distant history. There are still schools and legislatures, not to mention conservative asshole parents, trying to make sure things like this aren’t taught. And literally this month (nov 2022) they found another 21 bodies from the Tulsa Race Massacre in a mass grave. It’s still relevant, it’s still horrific, and it’s literally still happening. We are not removed from this level of hate, racism, and attempts to rewrite a broken and despicable history.

Loved how Brandy Colbert was so detailed in exploring the reasons and possible reasons of why the Tulsa Massacre occurred. She also delves into how Black Wall Street came to be and gives a more in depth look at the people who made up its community and those that surrounded it.

I tried multiple times to read this book and every time I couldn’t get into it. I wanted to read about the topic but it was too much like reading a history textbook. I was hoping it would have more of a narrative non-fiction feel. I am so sorry I could not finish it. I wanted to love the book.

Well written history of the Tulsa Race Massacre. That said, it could have been more organized and more focused.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

Black Birds in the Sky tells the very important story of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. The front-loaded history was extensive in this book and I found myself getting antsy to get to the Tulsa portion of the book. Colbert does a wonderful job of leading the reader through all of the events and tensions of the time period.

BLACK BIRDS IN THE SKY by Brandy Colbert is an award-winning work of non-fiction designed for young adult readers. Its focus is on events surrounding the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre when a white mob razed thirty-five square city blocks, leaving hundreds dead. Colbert combines personal accounts from survivors with historical context and period photos to convey the horrific events of that day. Often described as "essential reading," BLACK BIRDS IN THE SKY received multiple starred reviews, including from Booklist, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Colbert writes, "This history is painful. It angers me. ... I am grateful for educators who continue to do the difficult work of teaching their students the complicated, sometimes brutal history of this country's past." Other recent books about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre include The Ground Breaking and The Burning; the latter is available in versions for both adults and younger readers.

After years of being hidden from the historical record, Brandy Colbert meticulously peels back the multiple layers of racism which preceded a Tulsa mob's violent attack on the prosperous Black community of Greenwood. The author then commences an hour by hour description of the violence, with each event verified by research and documentation. This book should be included in all high school curriculums and read by any one who seeks a factual and in depth history Greenwood Massacre.

My Thoughts:

This journalistic non fiction book, heavily researched and humanized for YA researchers is a piece of American history that has taken 100 years to come to light. Not only is it sad that a community thousands of miles away in another state (Hawai'i) is hearing this American history story for the first time, but based on the silencing of even higher education departments in Oklahoma, following the 1921 event, this story might have quietly slipped out of the consciousness of Oklahoma residents.

There is hope that in 2020, some work has been done to unearth mass graves in Tulsa to try and bring closure for families of victims, however it has taken 100 years to even start uncovering truth and trauma. It is now time to acknowledge the massacre in the Greenwood district as well as in the city of Tulsa, but before that happens, the many "why" questions need to be asked in order to combat historic erasure. That work needs to happen before any kind of healing can happen. Colbert's work is one weapon in combatting erasure and forcing legislative advocacy that is necessary to change policy and promote healing, not just for black Americans, but also the original Natives displaced from their homelands and forced into Oklahoma. If we are beginning to ask questions and do some radical self assessment as a country, then we need to tell the whole truth, including, like Colbert, going back before the incident in order to continue to ask questions on why the community, and this country made it possible for such an atrocity to happen as well as to bring to the forefront the continued trauma happening now.

For teachers - this is the kind of resource that we need to have in our classrooms to show the power of research as storytelling. As a model text, this book is a discussion starter, perfect for philosophical questioning and discussion. Add it to your repertoire.

From the author's note:

Black American history is beautiful and horrific, full of progress and setbacks that have defined the story of the United States since its founding. But no matter how it looks, everyone deserves to know the truth about the past and how it informs the present. - Brandy Colbert

From the Publisher:
A searing new work of nonfiction from award-winning author Brandy Colbert about the history and legacy of one of the most deadly and destructive acts of racial violence in American history: the Tulsa Race Massacre.

In the early morning of June 1, 1921, a white mob marched across the train tracks in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and into its predominantly Black Greenwood District—a thriving, affluent neighborhood known as America's Black Wall Street. They brought with them firearms, gasoline, and explosives.

In a few short hours, they'd razed thirty-five square blocks to the ground, leaving hundreds dead. The Tulsa Race Massacre is one of the most devastating acts of racial violence in US history. But how did it come to pass? What exactly happened? And why are the events unknown to so many of us today?

These are the questions that award-winning author Brandy Colbert seeks to answer in this unflinching nonfiction account of the Tulsa Race Massacre. In examining the tension that was brought to a boil by many factors—white resentment of Black economic and political advancement, the resurgence of white supremacist groups, the tone and perspective of the media, and more—a portrait is drawn of an event singular in its devastation, but not in its kind. It is part of a legacy of white violence that can be traced from our country's earliest days through Reconstruction, the Civil Rights movement in the mid–twentieth century, and the fight for justice and accountability Black Americans still face today.

The Tulsa Race Massacre has long failed to fit into the story Americans like to tell themselves about the history of their country. This book, ambitious and intimate in turn, explores the ways in which the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre is the story of America—and by showing us who we are, points to a way forward.

Thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books, Balzer + Bray, NetGalley, and LibroFM's Educator ALC program for advanced ebook and audiobook copies.

It is only recently that most Americans learned about the Tulsa Race Massacre. Brandy Colbert teaches readers about the history that led up to this horrific event. I'm not sure why, but I was expecting this to be narrative nonfiction, so I'm grateful that I was able to listen to it on audio as well as read it in ebook format. It did get a little overwhelming to read at times because it is so packed with facts. It should be a part of every American history teacher's curriculum.

This book was extremely well researched and very interesting to read about. The events of 1921 in Greenwood were horrible but worse was that they were so completely forgotten or erased from history. I am glad that this event is starting to receive its proper place in history.

Beautifully written, this book takes on all of the facts of the Tulsa Massacre, but gives it a personal touch that involves readers intimately with what it felt like to live through that day. An important text that will be placed in all of my libraries, but should also be used by US History teachers throughout the nation so that we never forget what happened in Tulsa.

This book truly made me cry so many tears. An incredibly story on loss, violence, and trauma perpetuated by the violence of racism and a refusal to acknowledge the important of human life. This book chronicles the eruption of white violence, the events leading up and building the tension between communities long set against one another, and pointedly narrates the Tulsa Race Massacre. Ambitious and intimated, Black Birds in the Sky points the way forward.

This deep dive into The Tulsa Race Massacre was absolutely incredible. I thought I knew the story, but Colbert unearthed SO much and drew very compelling connections to today. I recommend this to all readers!

This is easily one of the most important books I’ve read all year, and probably in the last ten years. It is meticulously researched, easy to read, and presents the history of racism in America unflinchingly. Too much of this has been missed in our history classes and conversation. We must learn the truth if we want to prevent these same cycles from happening again and again. An excellent work.

A really thoughtful examination not 'just' about the Tulsa Massacre, but also of all of the events that led up to it. In fact, the day itself is gone over fairly quickly, but Colbert spends much of the time building up to that moment that you're holding your breath the entire time.

This YA nonfiction book does the absolutely crucial work of sharing forgotten American history with young people. Having lived in Tulsa for six years, I can say that Brandy Colbert wrote this incredibly well to reflect the history of the state, the racial tensions at the time, and all the factors at work to hide the Tulsa Race Massacre from the public. She doesn't sugar coat anything, but it's written in a very approachable and informative way. Can't recommend this book highly enough--it should be required reading!

A beautifully rendered and extremely important book that has a place in every teen collection. I hope to see booksellers and librarians repping this one.

Beautiful. Wonderfully portrayed version of such a horrible and senseless tragedy. I greatly appreciate the author for her work. Incredibly done.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this recent release (10.5.21). The author traces the roots of racism and civil unrest in our country from its founding to the American Revolution and Civil War as it led up to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. This work is well researched and will certainly uncover lesser known history for its readers. I recommend this for patient readers in grades 8+.