New #OwnVoices Picture Book UNSPEAKABLE from Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper Reveals the Forgotten History of the Tulsa Race Massacre
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and award-winning illustrator Floyd Cooper shed light on the untold story of Black Wall Street in Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, coming this spring from Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™. The first of its kind, this picture book is a testament to the people who perished and those who survived one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation’s history.
In the early 1900s, the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma was home to a thriving African American community. But all that would change on May 31 and June 1, 1921, when a mob of armed white Tulsans attacked Greenwood. They looted homes and businesses and burned them to the ground as Black families fled. The police did nothing to protect Greenwood, and as many as three hundred African Americans were killed. More than eight thousand were left homeless. News of the Tulsa Race Massacre was largely suppressed and no official investigation occurred for seventy-five years. Cooper’s powerful illustrations and Weatherford’s poetic narrative offer a sensitive and compelling introduction to this devastating piece of American history.
Released in time for the one hundredth anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Unspeakable will help young readers understand the events of the past so we can move toward a better future for all.
Advance Praise for Unspeakable:
“A somber, well-executed addition to the history as the incident approaches its 100th anniversary." —starred, Kirkus Reviews
“Ideal for classroom libraries and a deeper study of American history, this title is a must-have for those seeking the painful and complete truth.”—starred, Booklist
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About the Publisher
Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, creates high-quality fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults. Founded in 1959, Lerner Publishing Group is one of the nation’s largest independent children’s book publishers and currently has fifteen imprints.
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre
February 2021
$17.99 Hardcover, Jacketed
$27.99 eBook
Ages 8–12
HC: 978-1-5415-8120-3
EB: 978-1-72841-738-7
32 Pages ● 9 ¼ x 11
To Purchase: Visit your local bookstore, order by phone at 800-328-4929, or visit us at lernerbooks.com.
Media contact:
Lindsay Matvick
Publicity Manager
800-328-4929, x385
lmatvick@lernerbooks.com