Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses racism and violence and includes mentions of sexual assault.

“And, in retrospect, I hated that the room was uncomfortably silent during the lesson; that nobody asked why we never learned about anyone apart from basic biographies of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman; that no actual countries in Africa were ever named, which is likely why so many Americans still think Africa is a country rather than a continent; and that the lesson never explicitly stated how much the violent, genocidal foundation of this country shaped everything about how our nation operates today.”

Colbert’s initial reflection on her discomfort with her childhood historical education sets the tone for her historical analysis of the Tulsa Race Massacre. She makes clear in this quotation her intention for uncovering the uncomfortable, “violent” foundations of the United States and their ramifications throughout history.

“It is a privilege to continue telling the stories like those from my hometown and Tulsa so that they cannot be forgotten.”

Colbert positions herself as both historian and storyteller. Her desire to tell these stories also connects to the theme of The Erasure and Recovery of Black Historical Narratives, as she works to ensure these stories are not forgotten or erased again.

“In some cases, white elected officials and church leaders actively pursued policies that would have the citizens of Native Nations abandon their own languages and spiritual beliefs, and even encouraged them to purchase enslaved Africans for labor.”

Colbert’s analysis on the United States’ measures to force assimilation onto Native tribes demonstrates the complexity of oppression in the US. As the Indigenous people were oppressed by the United States government, the government in turn encouraged them to oppress Black Americans via enslavement.