A Thousand Thunderbolts: Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
Saturday, 24 Apr 2021 at 7:30 pm – Online
Livestream Performance, April 24 @ 7:30 pm (Details for streaming to come.)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.
Stay for the entire event, including the brief question-and-answer session that follows the formal presentation. Most events run 75 minutes.
Sign-ins are after the event concludes. For lectures in the Memorial Union, go to the information desk in the Main Lounge. In other academic buildings, look for signage outside the auditorium.
Lecture Etiquette
- Stay for the entire lecture and the brief audience Q&A. If a student needs to leave early, he or she should sit near the back and exit discreetly.
- Do not bring food or uncovered drinks into the lecture.
- Check with Lectures staff before taking photographs or recording any portion of the event. There are often restrictions. Cell phones, tablets and laptops may be used to take notes or for class assignments.
- Keep questions or comments brief and concise to allow as many as possible.