Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford

Weatherford, C. (2021). Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre (F. Cooper, Illus.) Carolrhoda Books.

This book covers the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, a topic that has only recently begun to be discussed among the general public. Written by Carole Boston Weatherford, an author known for writing about Black history in America, this book uses a narrative writing style to explain what this area was like before the massacre and how the massacre took place. There is a repetition of the phrase “Once upon a time…” inviting the reader to revel in the prosperous community of Greenwood when it was known as the “Black Wall Street.” Weatherford is able to seamlessly list all the ways in which Greenwood was almost magical, being a place where the Black community was striving and achieving more than the white community across the tracks at a time when racism and segregation were still prominent. The tone in the first half is meant to invite the reader to build a connection and admiration for this part of Tulsa, making the devastation in the second half have a bigger impact on the reader. The illustrations help in this goal by giving the images in the first half warm dreamlike tones as if they were photographs from the time. Directly in the middle is a spread that signals the change with two thirds of it in shadow forcing you to focus on the words stated and the image of the elevator ride that started it all. The second half of the book takes on a harsher tone with less focus on the background in the illustrations and less use of the phrase “Once upon a time…” Weatherford states the facts in a nonpartisan tone not shying away from the horrors that happened while keeping it child appropriate by keeping the violence out of the images. She does not condescend or simplify the events, nor does she hide the truth behind them including the hidden plots and intentions behind the massacre.

To display their authority on the subject, both the author and illustrator include notes in the background explaining their personal connections to the event explaining why they felt they needed to put out this book. This note at some points simply repeats the information provided within the book but at a deeper level including pictures to instill accuracy. However, there is no bibliography or mention of further research though one can assume research was done with the number of specific facts and dates provided. There is a link provided at the bottom of the spread offering a discussion guide and further resources, though when you follow it, it is mainly a page advertising the book with another link to the resource and no additional references or research resources. This book provides a lesson on a part of history that is often forgotten but necessary to learn presenting only facts in a way that evokes emotion on the part of the reader and being respectful towards the event and the reader.