I recently flew to Tulsa, OK on a business trip for my job. Since I just started with this blogging "thing," I told myself I would blog about traveling to Tulsa, things to do, and places to eat while I was there. And that originally was the plan. A few friends of mine, however, suggested that I go to the "Black Wall Street" memorial site. I had heard of it before, but I didn't know much about it. Meh, I put it off until later in the week, no big deal. I spent the first few days riding on the famous Route 66, trying out vegan pizza from Andolini's, and buying snacks from Wholefoods. I researched the location of the Black Wall Street memorial site, and it was located off Greenwood and Archer Ave. So I went to the Greenwood Cultural Center....and I would never be the same.
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| Route 66, Tulsa OK |
What was "Black Wall Street" anyway?
Following World War I, the neighborhood of Greenwood (Tulsa, OK) was recognized as one of the most affluent areas of African American businesses in the United States during the early 20th century. An interesting, unknown fact--the Gap Band R&B group members are from the Greenwood District neighborhood! "Gap" actually stands for the "Greenwood, Archer, and Pine" streets.
The Greenwood District was popularly known as "Black Wall Street." There were successful, black-owned movie theaters, grocery stores, hotels, restaurants, doctors' offices....their own little community! But on June 1, 1921 that would change forever.
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| Black owned pharmacy |
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| Dr. A.C. Jackson, one of the most successful black physicians/surgeons in Tulsa OK in the 1920's |
I've never heard of "Black Wall Street" in the history books....what happened?
Let's backtrack for a second. "On the morning of May 30, 1921, a young black man named Dick Rowland was riding in an elevator in the Drexel Building at the corner of Third and Main St with a young white woman named Sarah Page. The details of what really happened on that elevator vary from person to person." Supposedly, as Dick was getting off the elevator, he tripped and fell on Ms. Page. She screamed and the building owner called the police, citing "assault or rape." The news of lynching Dick Rowland spread like wildfire. "This sparked a violent confrontation between blacks and white armed mobs around the courthouse where the sheriff and his men barricaded the top floor to protect Mr. Rowland. Shots were fired and the outnumbered African Americans retreated to the Greenwood district."
In the early hours of June 1, 1921, the angry white mob looted and burned down buildings in the Greenwood district. The governor of Tulsa at that time (Governor Robertson) declared martial law, and National Guard troops arrived in Tulsa. Based on the information that I read in the Greenwood Cultural Center, planes were flown over the Greenwood community, dropping bombs on homes and businesses, and shooting people...from the air! I can only imagine the mayhem and smell of fear that took place that particular morning! Guardsmen assisted firemen in putting out fires, and Blacks who were taken out of the hands of the angry white mob were imprisoned. In fact, over 6,000 Black people were held at the Convention Hall and the Fairgrounds...some for over a week!
The next day, the violence stopped, and the Greenwood district was completely destroyed! Over 35 city blocks were burned to the ground, and as many as 300 Black people were killed. Over 800 people were treated for injuries. (Much of this section was taken from the Tulsa Historical Society & Museum website.) Click here to learn more details on the sequence of events that led to the massacre.
That wasn't a riot, it was a massacre...
Based on the information that I read in the Greenwood Cultural Center, the people of Greenwood never received any funds or reparations from the city of Tulsa to rebuild their businesses or community. Insurance companies would not pay for filed claims, and they were left to rebuild the Greenwood district by themselves. And of course--no one went to jail or prison for the killings! It was a very sad story to read! I teared up quite a few times reading newspaper clippings and looking at real pictures back then. They called it the "Tulsa Race Riot." To me, "riot" is an inappropriate word for the sequence of events that took place. It was a massacre. And the city of Tulsa did not issue a formal apology to the survivors of the Tulsa Race Riot Massacre until about 75 years later, in 1996! Most of the survivors were dead by then, or in their 90's!
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| Newspaper clipping about the Tulsa Massacre |
Oh!! And there's more!
And after ALL OF THAT, the young white woman, Sarah Page (remember her?), refused to press charges against young Dick Rowland, and they let him go. Shortly thereafter, Dick Rowland skipped town and was never heard from again! All of the killings, the burning and looting....all for nothing!
Shame on you, Tulsa!
As I drove down the streets of Greenwood and Archer Ave in my rental car, little is there today to acknowledge that the affluent neighborhood of the Greenwood district even existed. The Greenwood Cultural Center and a few other shops pay homage to Black Wall Street, but that's about it. Today, there is a ball park, and some fining dining restaurants in that area. Interstate 244 also runs through what was once the district. But Greenwood is no more. There were many other massacres very similar to this that swept through the South during the early 20th century. Reparations to the descendants of the Tulsa Race
-The Vegan World Traveler
More pictures from the Black Wall Street era below:
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| Newspaper clipping of the Black Wall Street Massacre |
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| Black-owned restaurant |
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| Black-owned diner/restaurant |
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| Newspaper clipping of the Black Wall Street Massacre |
Wow!
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