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Reconstructing the Dreamland: The Tulsa Riot of 1921: Race, Reparations, and Reconciliation
The 1921 Tulsa Race Riot was the country's bloodiest civil disturbance of the century. Thirty city blocks were burned to the ground, perhaps 150 died, and the prosperous black community of Greenwood, Oklahoma, was turned to rubble.
Brophy draws on his own extensive research into contemporary accounts and court documents to chronicle this devastating riot, showing how and why the rule of law quickly eroded. Brophy shines his lights on mob violence and racism run amok, both on the night of the riot and the following morning. Equally important, he shows how the city government and police not only permitted looting, shootings, and the burning of Greenwood, but actively participated in it by deputizing white citizens haphazardly, giving out guns and badges, or sending men to arm themselves. Likewise, the National Guard acted unconstitutionally, arresting every black resident they found, leaving property vulnerable to the white mob.
Brophy's stark narrative concludes with a discussion of reparations for victims of the riot through lawsuits and legislative action. That case has implications for other reparations movements, including reparations for slavery.
"Recovers a largely forgotten history of black activism in one of the grimmest periods of race relations.... Linking history with advocacy, Brophy also offers a reasoned defense of reparations for the riot's victims."-- Washington Post Book World
Brophy draws on his own extensive research into contemporary accounts and court documents to chronicle this devastating riot, showing how and why the rule of law quickly eroded. Brophy shines his lights on mob violence and racism run amok, both on the night of the riot and the following morning. Equally important, he shows how the city government and police not only permitted looting, shootings, and the burning of Greenwood, but actively participated in it by deputizing white citizens haphazardly, giving out guns and badges, or sending men to arm themselves. Likewise, the National Guard acted unconstitutionally, arresting every black resident they found, leaving property vulnerable to the white mob.
Brophy's stark narrative concludes with a discussion of reparations for victims of the riot through lawsuits and legislative action. That case has implications for other reparations movements, including reparations for slavery.
"Recovers a largely forgotten history of black activism in one of the grimmest periods of race relations.... Linking history with advocacy, Brophy also offers a reasoned defense of reparations for the riot's victims."-- Washington Post Book World
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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229 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 14, 2019
One of 5 histories I've read on this tragedy... but the angriest. Brophy fails to mediate events without inserting a rather seething displeasure of whites, tainting the book as a whole. In addition, the book is compiled from a large variety of sources, and though information-copious, it is not well-ordered. The paragraphs ramble on somewhat, and I found myself oscillating between pages to compare competing information. A.J. Smitherman's poetry is misplaced, and took away from what could have been a sharper narrative. In fact, you don't get to the crux of the event until 10 pages into Chapter 4 :
"...white Tulsa and black Tulsa could not have been farther apart in their understandings of what exactly had broken down. White Tulsa and the grand jury believed that the 'social order' had collapsed and that blacks had staged an uprising.... Whites saw the primary duty of law in the riot's wake as the restoration of order. From black Tulsa's point of view, however, the breakdown was not in the social order, but in the law itself, which had failed to protect Greenwood against violence. Even worse, the government had authorized harm to Greenwood residents and property."
And that's still not entirely what happened :)
Here it is :
1. Whites took up arms because they thought blacks would usurp Tulsa. A "negro uprising" is a familiar theme amongst whites at that time.
2. Blacks took up arms to rescue a jailed black youth, anticipating a mob lynching him. Lynchings were all-too common in the early 1900s, especially at poorly staffed precincts. Interestingly, whites could also be victims, especially if they were socialists or Catholics.
3. A mob formed only after reading a spicy newspaper op-ed headlining the jailed youth. In other words, by all historical accounts, the Tulsa Race Riot was actually triggered by a lone tabloid.
All in all, a book far too militant to sound intelligent.
.
"...white Tulsa and black Tulsa could not have been farther apart in their understandings of what exactly had broken down. White Tulsa and the grand jury believed that the 'social order' had collapsed and that blacks had staged an uprising.... Whites saw the primary duty of law in the riot's wake as the restoration of order. From black Tulsa's point of view, however, the breakdown was not in the social order, but in the law itself, which had failed to protect Greenwood against violence. Even worse, the government had authorized harm to Greenwood residents and property."
And that's still not entirely what happened :)
Here it is :
1. Whites took up arms because they thought blacks would usurp Tulsa. A "negro uprising" is a familiar theme amongst whites at that time.
2. Blacks took up arms to rescue a jailed black youth, anticipating a mob lynching him. Lynchings were all-too common in the early 1900s, especially at poorly staffed precincts. Interestingly, whites could also be victims, especially if they were socialists or Catholics.
3. A mob formed only after reading a spicy newspaper op-ed headlining the jailed youth. In other words, by all historical accounts, the Tulsa Race Riot was actually triggered by a lone tabloid.
All in all, a book far too militant to sound intelligent.
.
June 7, 2018
This book was great. I loved the detail Brophy uses in which first hand account from victims as well as newspapers and politicians of the time to tell a story that I hadn't previously understood.
October 7, 2020
Having lived in Oklahoma my entire life, the Tulsa race riot was not ever discussed, even living in Tulsa for a few years in the 1970's and studying Oklahoma history in 8th grade. Maybe because it was a dark, embarrassing period of time in the history of Tulsa and Oklahoma, it became out of sight, out of mind. Brophy did a fantastic job with his research and laid out the facts in a coherent manner. It's easy to follow the chronology of events. He laid out his thoughtful case for reparations later in the book and lets the reader develop his own opinion.
I found myself thinking, stop, don't do it, be patient, talk to each other, work it out, it's not worth the death and destruction of families and property, drop your weapons, calm down....kind of like today.
I found myself thinking, stop, don't do it, be patient, talk to each other, work it out, it's not worth the death and destruction of families and property, drop your weapons, calm down....kind of like today.
June 15, 2021
Deciding to expand your view of history, to include those things that you have either, never heard of, or know very little; can be painful and challenging. This was a difficult book to read, because it was not meant to be an easy read. It was written with a scholarly inclination (54 pages of end-notes) to educate those wanting to search for answers that are still clouded in doubt. It has been said that the "winners" write the histories, and there is something morally wrong with that. This book will challenge your thinking, and I want to learn more about some of the pain and struggles that our country went through and why. Some of it is not pretty, but that should not keep us from wanting to know more.
September 27, 2020
Pretty good book. I read it for school. It is very moving and informative. Prior to reading this book I knew nothing about the Tulsa riot. I’m glad I read it and have learned about this important piece of history
October 4, 2020
Reconstructing the Dreamland
Well written shocking account of an American travesty. The pictures and details lay bare the events of an unknown race riot on US soil. Readers should expect shock, disgust, wonder, amazement, sadness, and regret.
Well written shocking account of an American travesty. The pictures and details lay bare the events of an unknown race riot on US soil. Readers should expect shock, disgust, wonder, amazement, sadness, and regret.
November 16, 2019
It’s sad I only heard about this part of American history because of watching the first episode of the HBO series Watchmen and I wanted to learn more about it.
Want to read
November 2, 2021From Follett: Uses contemporary accounts and court documents to chronicle the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot, the country's bloodiest civil disturbance during the twentieth century.
March 15, 2024
I had to read it for school so disregard my rating!
Read
November 22, 2025Very well-written.
January 14, 2026
everyone should have to read this. listen to through libro.fm beautiful, informative
March 1, 2017
Good short overview, based on court cases and on both Black and White newspapers. Written with an eye to arguments about reparations. Said surprisingly little about whether or not the planes bombed Greenwood or what comparing Greenwood then and now.
August 8, 2011
Being a new resident of Tulsa I was hoping to find a good background of the race riots that have divided our city. This book was OK. Brophy definitely has done his research as evidenced by overwhelming citations to court cases and testimonies.
But I feel like the drama of the riot wasn’t captured; it felt like the event was just reported. I learned quite a bit about the causes and the locations and when I drive around downtown I can picture the events happening. There was also a photo essay chapter which I really appreciated. But it just didn’t grab me.
I’m sure a visit to the Race Riot museum will help fill in some gaps. And while I appreciate the amount of research that was poured in to this book, it didn’t quite meet my expectations.
BOTTOM LINE: I liked it, I learned a lot from it, but I doubt I would recommend it (except for the photo essay chapter).
But I feel like the drama of the riot wasn’t captured; it felt like the event was just reported. I learned quite a bit about the causes and the locations and when I drive around downtown I can picture the events happening. There was also a photo essay chapter which I really appreciated. But it just didn’t grab me.
I’m sure a visit to the Race Riot museum will help fill in some gaps. And while I appreciate the amount of research that was poured in to this book, it didn’t quite meet my expectations.
BOTTOM LINE: I liked it, I learned a lot from it, but I doubt I would recommend it (except for the photo essay chapter).
March 2, 2008
I had never heard of the Tulsa race riots, and since I live in Oklahoma, I thought I would catch up on some of the history from the area. A very interesting, tragic read that opens your mind regarding race.
March 23, 2009
Pretty interesting but a bit to much legal talk to make it an enjoyable read really. I guess it's a book about a race riot so it's probably not really trying to be that enjoyable anyway. Very informative though.
April 22, 2016
Nobody speaks of Tulsa anymore...
April 7, 2015
Wow. I had heard of the Tulsa race riots, but didn't know the full scope of the events and devastation. Unbelievable. And to think it only happened in 1921 is downright scary...
March 19, 2012
Interesting. Although I probably would not have read the whole thing if it was not for a history assignment.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews