Victor Luckerson

I’m an author and journalist bringing neglected black history to light.

My debut book, Built From the Fire, chronicles the history of Tulsa’s Greenwood District through the eyes of families who have called the place home for generations. Over more than a century these families endured racial violence, urban renewal, and gentrification—but they were building for themselves all the while.

Praise for Built From the Fire

“By the end of Luckerson’s outstanding book, the idea of building something new from the ashes of what has been destroyed becomes comprehensible, even hopeful.”

-The New York Times (Named a 2023 Top 100 Notable Book)

“Luckerson’s thoroughly researched and empathetically written account…gives voice to a powerful, exquisitely multifaceted community that refuses to be silenced.”

-The Washington Post (Named a 2023 Top 50 Notable Nonfiction Book)

“The scope, the elegance, and the power of Luckerson’s tale is simply breathtaking and empowering.”

-Carol Anderson, author of White Rage

“An American epic…compelling from its opening paragraph to its final sentence. This is a new addition to the required readings on this nation’s tortured racial history.”

-Jelani Cobb, author of The Substance of Hope

I’m a dynamic and versatile public speaker fluent in 118 years of Greenwood history. My journalism on Greenwood has appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times and Smithsonian magazine. My nationwide book tour has included stops at schools, colleges, and museums across the country, including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and Google.

Upcoming Events

September 26 | Stillwater, OK | Oklahoma State University | More Info

October 3 | Decatur, GA | Lillian Smith Book Award | More Info

October 7 | Iowa City, IA | University of Iowa | More Info

October 10 | Boston, MA | MAAH Stone Book Award | More Info

October 18 | Washington D.C. | Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Awards | More Info