So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

 So You Want to Talk About Race

by Ijeoma Oluo

Pages: 248

Stars: 5 out of 5

Ijeoma Oluo addresses head-on such issues as privilege, police brutality, intersectionality, micro-aggressions, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the "N" word. Perfectly positioned to bridge the gap between people of color and white Americans struggling with race complexities, Oluo answers the questions readers don't dare ask, and explains the concepts that continue to elude everyday Americans. Oluo is an exceptional writer with a rare ability to be straightforward, funny, and effective in her coverage of sensitive, hyper-charged issues in America. 

Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District by Hannibal B. Johnson

 I had first heard of Greenwood about two years ago when I read the YA novel, Dreamland Burning (which was fantastic, btw), and I've ended up finding more and more reference to it lately. I've been watching Lovecraft Country (which is a really good show loosely based around a really good novel), and a lot of the characters' stories are related to the 1921 Greenwood massacre. However, I started to wonder what the actual Greenwood was like, not just the tragedy. This book was perfect for that. The character and resiliency of the community is clear in the photos showing Greenwood in its early days through the present. I enjoy the Images of America series because I feel like I can actually step back in time to get a feel for very specific communities and their histories.

 

213 pages

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Well-written murder mystery that looks at both race and love as motivators for crime. A hate crime in his home state of Texas inspires a star law student to make a career shift and become a Texas Ranger. Years later he his tasked with solving two murders which appear to be racially motivated. Is it ok to let sleeping dogs lie or better to unearth the truth?

320 pages