The Burning: Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Tim Madigan and Hilary Beard
The Burning: Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Tim Madigan and Hilary Beard
Reviewed by Cameron Abbott, Faith Beltran, Cristal Bonifacio, Houda Abachra, and Lauren Antonucci
Beard , Hilary. The Burning . 2020. Accessed 9 May 2025.
Review:
The Burning: Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Tim Madigan and Hilary Beard provides useful historical context for the horrors of the Tulsa Race Massacre. Madigan successfully uses creative nonfiction to draw readers in, recounting the events leading up to the massacre. The Burning is an educational book for junior high and high school students because it touches on very important subjects; those in power are constantly attempting to erase these subjects like racism, white supremacy, and historical records of violence against people of color. Books like Madigan's are crucial in education in order to properly educate the youth and make sure history is never forgotten nor repeated. Through the use of creative storytelling and historical evidence and documentation, Madigan creates a great example of an educational tool for young adults.The reshaping of the original version by Tim Madigan preserves the emotional weight and historical importance while making it more available for students of a younger audience not only explaining the massacre that took place in 1921 but the rising tensions beforehand, the aftermath and silencing of the story, and the impact it left behind on American history. The rising conflict between residents of Tulsa escalated when a young Black man was accused of assaulting a white woman, causing the attack on May 31st and June 1st. The massacre was immediately covered up and omitted from public discourse for a very long time with no compensation for the surviving families. The book introduces main themes of racial injustice, white supremacy, historical erasure, and community strength by exploring the individual and systemic racism that fueled the events that would lead to the massacre. As well as the silencing of important historical events that often happens in an attempt to cover up injustices in America. And the emphasis of strength and resilience in the Black community, despite the trauma and loss for the survivors of Greenwood. The book honors them by showing the rebuilding of their lives and acknowledgement of the wrongdoings. By encouraging young readers to read this adaptation, we may begin in acknowledging the dangers of silencing history and political censorship. And motivate the confrontation of injustice and oppression and build a more equitable society, a place where “the nation lives up to its promise of being a land where all humans were created equal and deserve rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" (12).
Gazette , Harvard. Tulsa’s Greenwood District in 1921 after a white mob razed the predominately Black community. 2020. Flickr . Accessed 8 May 2025.
Biography:
Tim Madigan
Madigan , Tim. 2025. Tim Madigan , https://www.timmadigan.net/about. Accessed 8 May 2025.
Tim Madigan is a playwright, journalist, and New York Times bestseller from a small town in Minnesota called Crookston. Madigan’s work focuses on humanitarian issues, race, and personal transformation. Madigan has various works that each display his voice differently. In regard to the novel we chose, The Burning: The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, Madigan combines his in-depth historical research with a compelling narrative voice that makes this difficult topic digestible for readers of all ages. Part of what I think makes Madigan the best writer for this novel is the heart that he brings to his work. In 1955, Madigan collaborated with famous children’s TV creator Fred Rogers, AKA Mister Rogers. From this interview, Madigan created a lifelong friendship with Rogers and even wrote an extremely heartfelt memoir titled “I’m Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers”. Madigan describes his relationship with Rogers in the quote, “A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away” (Madigan). The emotional sensitivity and commitment to storytelling are evident as Madigan uses his voice to retell the Tulsa Race Massacre. Madigan deeply honors the victims and survivors of this horrific event, educationally and admirably. His ability to balance facts with emotional connection makes history not just informative, but also deeply impactful on a human level. Madigan does not just present the events; he allows readers to step into the shoes of his characters through his descriptive tone. This ability likely comes from his experience with Rogers, but also from the doctorate in philosophy from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Hilary Beard
University , Princeton. Hilary Beard . 2025. Thrive . Accessed 8 May 2025.
Hilary Beard is an author, journalist, and entrepreneur. Beard grew up in Philadelphia and later studied at Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Organizational Dynamics Program. Beard also went to Penn’s Aresty Institute for Executive Education and the Center for Creative Leadership, where she learned to speak and work with African American communities to share their voice in a world that buries the truth. Previously, she published many works on African American wellness and health, and was even the editor in chief for Health Quest. Beard has written a total of 13 books, diversely spread between Adult, Young Adult, and Children's books. She had the opportunity to research with the White House on African American teaching in American Education. Beard’s work focuses on reshaping Black voices, highlighting women’s health within the pieces, and the importance of Black storytelling. When Beard was first approached to edit The Burning: A Tulsa Race Massacre into a young adult adaptation, she was excited to work with Madigon. In her translation, she first changed the amount of gruesome scenes within the novel in order to make the novel more digestible for young adults. Beard then added more female African American stories to add to the diversity and voices. Finally, she focused on the development of the main character, Don Ross. By developing his character, she allows young adults in high school to develop a connection to Don and learn to empathize with the events of the Tulsa Massacre. Beard understands the importance of teaching Black history to young adults, knowing the Tulsa Race Massacre should not be overlooked.
Images, Getty. Smoke rises from damaged properties after the Tulsa Race Massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma June 1921. Oklahoma Historical Society. 2020. Accessed 2025.
Instructional Resources:
1. Blindspot History Podcasts: The Blindspot podcast on the History channel is a series of 6 podcasts that explain the Tulsa Race Massacre. The podcast episodes are available to listen to on Spotify and delve into the history of Tulsa. Focusing on a few episodes, students can listen to the podcast, which teachers can then test their understanding.
2. Tulsa Race Massacre Pictures: The Tulsa History Museum provides a series of pictures of the Tulsa Race Massacre. Students can explore various photos regarding the tragic events, and visually understand the destruction and rebuilding of Tulsa. Teachers can ask about specific photographs within the visual museum or gauge students’ understanding of the emotional impact of the photographs.
3. Bookwatch on PBS: In this episode of “The Bookwatch” On PBS, Madigan talks about his memoir to his dear friend Fred Rogers and explains how this experience shaped him as a writer.
4. Tim Madigan - The Burning: The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. In this YouTube video, Madigan shows off his determined and thorough disposition as he summarizes the plot of the novel.
5. Tulsa Race Massacre: Chapter 1; The Tulsa Race Massacre This video goes over the effects that the Tulsa Massacre has had on the Black community in Tulsa.
6. 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre The article on the History Channel website goes over some background as to what happened during the Tulsa Massacre and has some videos as well.
7. The Massacre of Black Wall Street A graphic novel depicting the Tulsa Massacre
California Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA.RL.2.9-10: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA.RI.6.9-10: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.
CCSS.ELA.SL.1.9-10: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Instructional Plan:
Objectives: Students will be able to analyze the importance of points of views in a story.
The students will learn about the history behind the Tulsa Massacre and incorporate it with how it affects the young adult characters within the novel.
Introduction
Students will be asked: how the point of view of a narrator can influence how we see a story? Why do different points of view matter?
Students will volunteer to answer out loud and give their point of view.
Main Lesson
Students will focus on the supporting question:
How does historical trauma affect later generations? How do subsequent generations heal from historical trauma?
Students will fill out this worksheet with their tablemates.
https://tinyurl.com/tulsaworksheet
Teacher will go over the quotes that the students found and talk about how the emphasis on young adult characters connects to the theme of generational trauma and healing.
Student will watch the video about the Tulsa Massacre and how it affected all types of people
https://youtu.be/RjHuWnKxfz0?si=uZDms3vQj7npVQI_
Teacher will go over how the video connects to the supportive question of generational trauma and the point of view of the young adult characters.
Outro
Students will be given the homework assignment of writing a thesis about their chosen character's experience.
Milano, Brett. Wounded Black men were taken to the Brady Theater near the Greenwood District, an affluent Black community that was destroyed by a white mob in 1921. 20 May 2021. Accessed 9 May 2025.
Bibliography
“About.” Tim Madigan, www.timmadigan.net/about. Accessed 1 May 2025.
Madigan, Tim. I’m Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers. Ubuntu Press, 2012.
“What Would Fred Rogers Say Today?” Tim Madigan, Tim Madigan, 29 Aug. 2022, www.timmadigan.net/anything-mentionable-newsletter/what-would-fred-rogers-say-today.
Staff, SLJ. “Hilary Beard and Tim Madigan in Conversation on ‘The Burning’ and the Tulsa Race Massacre.” School Library Journal, 21AD, www.slj.com/story/hilary-beard-and-tim-madigan-in-conversation-on-the-burning-and-the-tulsa-race-massacre.
“Writer, Speaker, Trainer, Coach, Faith Walker.” Hilary Beard, www.hilarybeard.com/about.
“HISTORY Podcasts | HISTORY.com | HISTORY Channel.” History.com, https://www.history.com/podcasts. Accessed 13 May 2025.
“Photos.” Tulsa Historical Society & Museum, https://www.tulsahistory.org/exhibit/1921-tulsa-race-massacre/photos/. Accessed 13 May 2025.
Video Anthology, The Brainwaves. “Tim Madigan - The Burning: The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.” YouTube, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooUdFtKv3uk. Accessed 13 May 2025.
Clark, Alexis. “Tulsa Race Massacre - Facts, Photos, Coverup | HISTORY.” History.com, https://www.history.com/articles/tulsa-race-massacre. Accessed 13 May 2025.
“The Illustrated Story Behind the Tulsa Massacre on HBO's Watchmen - Sponsor Content - Watchmen on HBO.” The Atlantic, https://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/hbo-2019/the-massacre-of-black-wall-street/3217/. Accessed 13 May 2025.
LUSH. “Lush Presents: Greenwood Is Still Burning.” YouTube, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=HsntELVEdc8. Accessed 13 May 2025.
Public Schools, Tulsa. “Tulsa Race Massacre: Chapter 1; The Tulsa Race Massacre.” YouTube, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjHuWnKxfz0. Accessed 13 May 2025.
Fairchild, Greg. Black and White photo of smoke billowing over the city of Tulsa Oklahoma Smoke billows over Tulsa, Oklahoma during the race riots in 1921. 21 May 2021. Accessed 9 May 2025.
