A review by lyzz
Across the Tracks: Remembering Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre by Alverne Ball
5.0
Across the Tracks
Author & Illustrator: Alvere Black
Illustrator: Stacey Robinson
Genre: Graphic Novel
Pages: 72
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
This graphic novel is being released in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre that occurred on May 31-June 1, 1921. The graphic novel talks about the founding and development of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This was also known as Black Wall Street. The oil boom in Tulsa allow blacks to own land and Black Wall Street was founded. The community was quite prosperous with multiple building schools, having access to two physicians, a vibrant transportation system, multiple grocery stores, a theater and even a confectionary store.
On May 31, 1921, an accidental shot at the courthouse resulted in the sheriff deputizing white men who crossed the tracks into Greenwood. Over the next 24 hours, 300 African Americans had been killed, 1,200 homes destroyed, 320 homes looted, and 4000 people left homeless.
What I liked about this graphic novel:
*The retelling of the Tulsa Race Massacre is powerful. It shows the rise of Black Wall Street and the context for the massacre. I really liked that the emphasis was on the Greenwood District instead of on the massacre itself. It really brings home the point of what was destroyed during this horrible event.
*I appreciated the in-depth afterword that provides more detail about the history leading up to the Tulsa Face Massacre.
*The illustrations were gorgeous. The ARC I reviewed was black and white and will have color in the final edition. I think it will only improve this masterful design already provided.
*I appreciated that the artist varied the number of panes/splashes to match the content of the pane.
What I didn’t like:
*While the novel ends on a hopeful note, I wanted to know what happened afterwards.
*I would have liked to have a bit more context in the actual illustrations about the racism rampant in the US at the time. There are mentions of Jim Crow laws but not of the 1919 Summer of Red and the increased Klan activity that may have helped fuel this tragic event.
This graphic novel is powerful reading and a beautiful commemoration for this community that was destroyed. I believe this should be on the list of anti-racist reading as understanding history and why it was erased is critically important.
ARC provided to me by Abrahams Comics – Megascope, via Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.
Author & Illustrator: Alvere Black
Illustrator: Stacey Robinson
Genre: Graphic Novel
Pages: 72
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
This graphic novel is being released in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre that occurred on May 31-June 1, 1921. The graphic novel talks about the founding and development of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This was also known as Black Wall Street. The oil boom in Tulsa allow blacks to own land and Black Wall Street was founded. The community was quite prosperous with multiple building schools, having access to two physicians, a vibrant transportation system, multiple grocery stores, a theater and even a confectionary store.
On May 31, 1921, an accidental shot at the courthouse resulted in the sheriff deputizing white men who crossed the tracks into Greenwood. Over the next 24 hours, 300 African Americans had been killed, 1,200 homes destroyed, 320 homes looted, and 4000 people left homeless.
What I liked about this graphic novel:
*The retelling of the Tulsa Race Massacre is powerful. It shows the rise of Black Wall Street and the context for the massacre. I really liked that the emphasis was on the Greenwood District instead of on the massacre itself. It really brings home the point of what was destroyed during this horrible event.
*I appreciated the in-depth afterword that provides more detail about the history leading up to the Tulsa Face Massacre.
*The illustrations were gorgeous. The ARC I reviewed was black and white and will have color in the final edition. I think it will only improve this masterful design already provided.
*I appreciated that the artist varied the number of panes/splashes to match the content of the pane.
What I didn’t like:
*While the novel ends on a hopeful note, I wanted to know what happened afterwards.
*I would have liked to have a bit more context in the actual illustrations about the racism rampant in the US at the time. There are mentions of Jim Crow laws but not of the 1919 Summer of Red and the increased Klan activity that may have helped fuel this tragic event.
This graphic novel is powerful reading and a beautiful commemoration for this community that was destroyed. I believe this should be on the list of anti-racist reading as understanding history and why it was erased is critically important.
ARC provided to me by Abrahams Comics – Megascope, via Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.