The Burning

Massacre, Destruction, and the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921

By: Tim Madigan

Narrated by: Bill Andrew Quinn

On the morning of June 1, 1921, a white mob numbering in the thousands marched across the railroad tracks dividing black from white in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and obliterated a black community then celebrated as one of America's most prosperous. Thirty-four square blocks of Tulsa's Greenwood community were reduced to smoldering rubble.

And now, 80 years later, the death toll of what is known as the Tulsa Race Riot is more difficult to pinpoint. Conservative estimates put the number of dead at about 100 (75 percent of the victims are believed to have been black), but the actual number of casualties could be triple that. The Tulsa Race Riot Commission, formed two years ago to determine exactly what happened, has recommended that restitution to the historic Greenwood Community would be good public policy and do much to repair the emotional as well as physical scars of this most terrible incident in our shared past.

With chilling details, humanity, and the narrative thrust of compelling fiction, The Burning will recreate the town of Greenwood at the height of its prosperity, explore the currents of hatred, racism, and mistrust between its black residents and neighboring Tulsa's white population, narrate events leading up to and including Greenwood's annihilation, and document the subsequent silence that surrounded the tragedy.

©2001 Tim Madigan (P)2020 Tantor

The back story on what was happening in those days

I like the story and I wish the speaker was more fluent and involved in the story

The attention to detail.

The atmosphere seemed very out of context in several spots. There were times during which I was unsure as to which side the story was being told. That being said, it was as a well told and very loyal to the truth.

Eye opening

The burning revealed multiple details about the Tulsa massacre that I had never been aware of until now.

Important book

Tells the important and horrific story of the Tulsa Race Massacre in an easy to read format.

Powerful Book

I’m glad I came across this great, it’s a wonderful account of black history and American history.

So informative!

This is a must read about such an important time in our state and national history.

Compelling, important

The rich, personal details portray the grotesque reality, the sadness, the horrendous loss without losing the larger narrative arc to convey context of the totality of this tragic, ignored part of our shared US history. Very important.

Good history eye opening

Very hard to believe this is so widely kept secret. Sad. But important part of history

Good book

A book about a terrible tragedy that was almost lost to history. A book that everyone should have to read.

The history unknown

This book Shed light on events, I was unaware. A take on black history, That wasn't spoke of Are known outside Tulsa. Deep, look into what happened and how we didn't know.