Tulsa Race Riots and the Red Summer of 1919

This short nonfiction book is part of the Racial Justice in America Series. It provides factual information about the Red Summer of 1919, what caused it, and how it contributed to The 1921 Tulsa Races Massacre two summers later. This book provides important background information when discussing the Tulsa Race Massacre to show that the tensions leading to the violence in Tulsa were also happening in other parts of the country. The book concludes by describing the injustices that continued happening to Tulsa Race Massacre survivors, even years after the Massacre occurred. The book refers to race riots instead of massacre, something that may lead to conversation with students about how and why the name changed.

In a section called “Show What you Know,” this book includes a well-designed student project that could be incorporated into a class. It also includes a glossary and a list of further resources, including links to several episodes from podcasts.