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'Lovecraft Country' Episode 9 Preview: Will the Tulsa massacre repeat itself as Christina helps Dede?

Both the trailer and the synopsis for the upcoming episode hint at a recount of what has been labeled as the worst racial violence of all times

Racial violence has always been a highlight when it comes to the elements of horror in HBO's 'Lovecraft Country', and after throwing light on the brutal, deplorable murder of the 14-year-old Emmett Till, the show might go back to another disgraceful time in US history — the Tulsa Massacre of 1921.

In the upcoming Episode 9, which is the penultimate episode of the debut season, things might return to the past once again, as suggested by the title 'Rewind 1921'. While it could mean just recollecting the horrid massacre from American history, there's also a high chance that we finally get a glimpse of just how torturous it all was for Atticus' mother's family. Throughout the series, the Freemans have spoken about Tic's mother losing her whole family, their home and every piece of their belonging in the massacre. When Tic went to meet a distant relative from his mother's side, although she turned out to be dead, her friend elaborated on the devastating loss she had suffered in the massacre.

All of these contribute to the possibility of a trip to Tic's mother's past. The trailer for Episode 9 also hints at the action-packed sequences with gunshots and explosions culminating in fire as Dede's life continues to be in danger. After being cursed by Officer Lancaster, Dede finally fell prey to the little girls haunting her. The curse is spreading through her body and she is running out of time when Ruby tells them Christina could help with her magic. It all suggests a deal of sorts between the Freemans and the Braithwaite heiress, but the ensuing action hints at another massacre on the way. It could be the sinister Lancaster or any other accomplice, but all fingers point towards what has been labeled as the worst racial violence of all times.

The original massacre from 1921 took place on the night of May 31 till the morning of June 1. Mobs of White people were deputized and given weapons by city officials as they attacked Black residents and businesses of Tulsa, Oklahoma's Greenwood district, which was also known as 'Black Wall Street' as it was the most affluent Black community in the US at the time.

The attack had ensued after 19-year-old Dick Rowland, a Back shoeshiner, was threatened to be lynched outside the jail, where he was being held for allegedly assaulting Sarah Page, a 17-year-old White elevator operator. When the Black community had gathered to protect Rowland, a tussle occurred and shots were fired, killing 10 White men and two Black men.

As news of this spread across town, White residents began attacking, looting and going on a murderous rampage which ended with 35 acres of property ruined and an estimated 150-300 lives lost overall. The attack was carried both on the ground and from the air, and shockingly enough, the massacre went on to be largely omitted from local histories. In 2019, the HBO show 'Watchmen' explored the impact and trauma of the massacre, and looks like 'Lovecraft Country' is about to do the same. 

'Lovecraft Country' airs on Sundays at 9 pm only on HBO.