Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America by Tonya Bolden (review)

When the last of Indian Territory dissolved and Oklahoma became a state, Joseph and Rose Rector and their oldest children became entitled to claim land allotments as black members of the Creek Tribe. Most of the nonadjacent parcels would be sold or used for farming, but young Sarah’s tract was leased to a wildcat oilman who hit a gusher. Almost overnight Sarah was rich on royalties from the oil lease, and with that wealth came decisions about who should manage her money—an issue complicated by the custom of removing guardianship from “ignorant” black parents and entrusting it to white businessmen. When Sarah’s exact whereabouts temporarily came into question, her story became a flashpoint for angry accusations by black leaders and raised the profile of other children whose unexpected wealth made them vulnerable to grafters. Sarah’s situation is certainly compelling, and the extraordinary circumstances behind her fortune fire the imagination. Unfortunately, there’s so little information about the girl herself that she becomes a passive player in this drama, eliciting little reader empathy or interest. The complexities of landleasing arrangements and guardianships are handled with clarity and considerable verve, but the technical focus also buries the more dramatic aspects of the tale. Still, Bolden’s remarks on tracking down Sarah’s story will appeal to those who enjoy untangling historical mysteries; glossary, index, source notes, and bibliography are included.