March 9, 2025
Students Request ‘Angel Of Greenwood’ After Tulsa Massacre Book Rejected, Receive Free Copies From Author
Randi Pink sent 100 copies of "Angel of Greenwood" to Pine-Richland High School students in Pennsylvania.
Randi Pink’s book “Angel of Greenwood” is reaching Pine-Richland High School students despite being rejected from the ninth-grade curriculum, WTAE Pitsburgh reported.
Students were disappointed when the school board denied the book’s inclusion, prompting them to take respectful action. Twelfth-grader Nedda Immen contacted Pink to request copies of the historical fiction novel.
Pink responded by sending 100 free copies.
“I reached out to Randi, and I thought it would be great to get these books and distribute them because we want to make a statement without being disrespectful. That’s one of our biggest goals, and I think this is almost the perfect example of that,” Immen said.
Junior Elise Duckworth expressed confusion over the school board’s decision. “Angel of Greenwood” is set in 1921 during the Tulsa Race Massacre, a pivotal moment in American history when a thriving Black community was violently destroyed by racism and hate.
“I’m having trouble understanding the reasoning behind not allowing this book. I’m currently reading it, and I think it’s a great book. It talks about something many students don’t know about. Many people don’t know anything about the Tulsa Race Massacre,” Duckworth said.
While opinions on the book’s rejection vary, School Board President Philip Morrissette emphasized that its historical significance is not in question. Instead, the board determined it did not meet the educational rigor required for a ninth-grade curriculum.
“‘Angel of Greenwood’ is a fine book for students, with good historical significance,” Morrissette said.
In a statement to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, Morrissette clarified that the book was not previously in the curriculum and is not banned.
“‘Angel of Greenwood’ was NOT previously part of ninth-grade ELA (English Language Arts). This was a suggested text to be added while removing an existing ninth-grade ELA core text, ‘A Tale of Two Cities,'” he said.
Despite the decision, Duckworth and Immen have spoken publicly and organized events to celebrate Angel of Greenwood. With community support, they raised funds for two book talks featuring Pink.
Pink pushed back against the notion that her book lacks academic value, saying she intentionally wrote every page for teenagers. However, she sees hope for the future of inclusive literature through the actions of Pine-Richland students.
“When they’re in charge,” Pink said, “we’re going to be all right.”
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