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.
Built From the Fire has received numerous awards, including the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the MAAH Stone Book Award.
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)
“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
“The scope, the elegance, and the power of Luckerson’s tale is simply breathtaking and empowering.”
-Carol Anderson, author of White Rage
