The Filling Station - by Vanessa Miller

About the Book

From the author of The American Queen comes another important story about love, resilience, faith, and grit.

Book Synopsis

A USA TODAY bestseller!

"The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre is, shockingly, little more than a footnote in history . . . Miller's book, thankfully, reverses that egregious oversight . . . we viscerally learn how this vibrant Black community fought devastation with resilience, faith, and grit." --Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Two sisters. One unassuming haven. Endless opportunities for grace.

Sisters Margaret and Evelyn Justice have grown up in the prosperous Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma--also known as Black Wall Street. In Greenwood, the Justice sisters had it all--movie theaters and entertainment venues, beauty shops and clothing stores, high-profile businesses like law offices, medical clinics, and banks. While Evelyn aspires to head off to the East Coast to study fashion design, recent college grad Margaret plans to settle in Greenwood, teaching at the local high school and eventually raising a family.

Then the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre upends everything they know and brings them unspeakable loss. Left with nothing but each other, the sisters flee along what would eventually become iconic Route 66 and stumble upon the Threatt Filling Station, a safe haven and the only place where they can find a shred of hope in oppressive Jim Crow America. At the filling station, they are able to process their pain, fill up their souls, and find strength as they wrestle with a faith in God that has left them feeling abandoned.

But they eventually realize that they can't hide out at the filling station when Greenwood needs to be rebuilt. The search for their father and their former life may not give them easy answers, but it can propel them--and their community--to a place where their voices are stronger . . . strong enough to build a future that honors the legacy of those who were lost.

"The Tulsa Race Massacre is rarely covered in historical fiction, and this story is an absolutely worthy addition to the genre." --Booklist Starred Review

"In a novel that should be required reading, Miller movingly explores the aftermath of racial trauma and how resilient people can open their hearts again." --Library Journal Starred Review

Review Quotes

'Miller (THE AMERICAN QUEEN, 2024) doesn't shy away from the hardships the Justices face--racism, unscrupulous developers, sickness-inducing conditions in the rebuilding Greenwood--and Margaret's faith journey is hard-won and convincing. The Tulsa Race Massacre is rarely covered in historical fiction, and this story is an absolutely worthy addition to the genre.'--Booklist Starred Review

'In a novel that should be required reading, Miller (THE AMERICAN QUEEN) movingly explores the aftermath of racial trauma and how resilient people can open their hearts again. Read-alikes exploring Black historical experiences include WHEN STARS RAIN DOWN by Angela Jackson Browne and UNDER THE TULIP TREE by Michelle Shocklee.'--Library Journal Starred Review

'THE FILLING STATION is a compelling contribution to the understanding of Black Wall Street and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The depth of research, coupled with Vanessa Miller's ability to bring these historical events to life, ensures that these stories are not only remembered but resonate with readers. So many of the names and places come to life in a way that makes me have to stop reading and process the fact that this event actually happened, and it happened in my community to people I have known.'--Michelle Burdex, program coordinator for Greenwood Cultural Center

'The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre is, shockingly, little more than a footnote in history--because history has always been written by white men. Miller's book, thankfully, reverses that egregious oversight. By making us live through the eyes of two sisters who that suffered catastrophic loss, we viscerally learn how this vibrant Black community fought devastation with resilience, faith, and grit.'--Jodi Picoult, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author