If We Must Die: A Novel of Tulsa's 1921 Greewood Riot

by Pat M. Carr and Pat Carr

Book Overview

For decades, a riot that killed three hundred people and wounded hundreds of others was scarcely heard of. But several new studies have focused attention on Tulsa's Greenwood race riot of 1921. In If We Must Die novelist Pat Carr turns that tragedy into a riveting novel. When Berneen O'Brien's mother dies, the seventeen-year-old moves from Wyoming to Tulsa to live with her stern uncle. Berneen secures a teaching position at Liberty Elementary School...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 087565262X
• ISBN13: 9780875652627
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Texas Christian University Press
• Length: 166 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Important reference to black history

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.