Nation Must Awake: My Witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921

On May 31, 1921, the Tulsa race massacre occurred, killing hundreds of Black Oklahomans and destroying the Greenwood district, a prosperous, primarily Black area known nationally as Black Wall Street. Mary Parrish's book, The Nation Must Awake, documents the tragedy and the loss of human life and property at the hands of white vigilantes. The incident is now recognized as one of the worst episodes of racial violence in the United States. Parrish hoped her book would "open the eyes of the thinking people to the impending danger of letting such conditions exist" and highlight the bravery of Black residents.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 152 pages
Publication date: 10 June 2021
Publisher: Trinity University Press,U.S.

Mary Parrish was engrossed in her reading at her home when the tragic Tulsa race massacre unfolded on the evening of May 31, 1921. Her daughter, Florence Mary, urgently beckoned her to the window, exclaiming, "Mother, I see men with guns!" Fearing for their lives, Parrish and her daughter swiftly escaped into the night, unwittingly becoming witnesses to one of the most significant race tragedies in American history.

The incident, which had been hidden from public view for decades, is now acknowledged as one of the most severe instances of racial violence in the United States. The Nation Must Awake, originally published for a broad audience, is Parrish's firsthand account, complemented by the recollections of numerous others compiled immediately after the tragedy under the collective title of Events of the Tulsa Race Disaster. Parrish meticulously details the devastating loss of human life and property at the hands of white vigilantes, transporting readers back to those fateful days with remarkable precision. The testimonies shed light on the bravery of Black residents and the horrifying sight of witnessing their neighbors being gunned down and their community ravaged by flames.

Parrish expressed her hope that her book would "awaken the minds of thoughtful individuals to the impending danger of allowing such conditions to persist in the 'Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.'" Despite the passage of a century, the story's themes remain relevant and poignant, serving as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial equality and justice.

Weight: 202g
Dimension: 140 x 216 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781595349439