A Thousand Thunderbolts: Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
- Department of Music and Theatre
- Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)
Symphony of Diversity 2021
A Thousand Thunderbolts: Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
Live Stream Performance, April 24 @ 7:30 pm
Performance Recording: bit.ly/symphonyofdiversity2021
On April 24, 2021, the Iowa State University Symphony Orchestra will commemorate the victims of one of the worst chapters of racial violence in the United States: the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The title of the concert is taken from a speech given by Black civil rights advocate Joseph C. Price in 1890 in Minneapolis, in which he wished for a thousand tongues, each representing a thousand thunderbolts, each representing a thousand voices, with which to advocate for the Black people of America. The concert will exclusively feature music written by Black composers from the United States, including Florence Price, George Walker, Mary Watkins, Jessie Montgomery, and William Grant Still. Each work will be preceded by a short video of a Black civil rights leader, icon, or advocate to illuminate the history and lasting effects of race relations in the United States from personal perspectives.