Readers Respond to the April 2021 Issue

Remembering Tulsa

Reading the article about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre (“American Terror”), I felt an incredibly deep sadness, rage of epic proportions, and, quite honestly, bewilderment. In 100 years, much has changed, but so much has remained the same. Black people, my people, are still fighting to catch their breath, to live in peace without fear of being murdered at the hands of those who simply refuse to see their humanity. Thank you for such a thorough documentation of this often overlooked piece of American history. It is my hope that it sparks a conversation that culminates in empathy. America needs a heavy dose.

—Melissa Alexander | Atlanta

I was mesmerized, saddened and enraged by the historical realities described in “The Promise of Oklahoma.” Thank you for bringing this chapter of American history to your readers. It is vital to our understanding of ourselves as a nation to learn of our past and acknowledge the deeply harmful injustices perpetuated by white supremacy culture. We need to better understand how we got to where we are today in order to become a society that values and treats each person with equity and justice.

—Suzanne Munro | Portland, Oregon

Many of us Oklahomans have wondered how we could have lived here so long and never heard about the Tulsa Massacre. Your riveting cover article solved the mystery for me. This was calculated, systematic state-sponsored terrorism that succeeded in silencing a whole community of people, who feared for their lives. Thank you for bringing this history to our awareness. I pray that as many of the survivors and their families as possible will tell their stories, that we will listen with respect and compassion and that they will experience healing.

—Terry Fife | Oklahoma City

A Comeback for Wolves

Richard Grant and Morgan Heim (“The Wolf That Discovered the Golden State”) brought understanding and hope to the plight of these intelligent creatures, which struggle to find mates, raise their young and survive. We must help them.

—Johanna Dordick | Moorpark, California

Sounds of the Sea

What a fascinating, little-known world (“Listening to the Fishes”). Kudos to the Navy for hiring a female scientist. They certainly made the right pick.

—John R. Selser | Clinton, Tennessee

Birds of a Feather

Rosalie Edge took her love for birds (“How Mrs. Edge Saved the Birds”) to the level we should all be at when it comes to protecting our environment.

—Lydia Krohmer | Thompson, Ohio