Untold Stories Collection

The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 remains one of the most tragic and harrowing examples of racial violence in American history. Greenwood, also known as "Black Wall Street," was a thriving African-American neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was economically prosperous with numerous successful businesses, including banks, restaurants, hotels, and theaters. The community thrived despite the pervasive racial segregation and discrimination of the time.

On May 30, 1921, a young black man named Dick Rowland was accused of assaulting a white woman named Sarah Page in an elevator, though the details of the incident remain unclear and disputed. Rowland was arrested the next day. The local newspaper published an inflammatory article about the incident, stoking racial tensions in Tulsa. Concerns about a lynching prompted African American residents of Greenwood, some of whom were armed, to confront a white mob gathered outside the courthouse where Rowland was held.

The situation erupted into violence on the morning of June 1, 1921. The white mob, including some members deputized by local authorities, attacked Greenwood. They looted homes and businesses, set buildings on fire, and indiscriminately shot African-American residents. The exact death toll remains disputed, but estimates suggest that up to 300 African Americans were killed, with thousands left homeless as their homes and businesses were burned to the ground. Many survivors fled the city in fear for their lives.

In the aftermath of the massacre, no one was held accountable for the violence, and insurance claims by black residents were systematically denied. The destruction of Greenwood dealt a severe economic and psychological blow to the African-American community, erasing decades of progress and prosperity. For decades, the Tulsa Race Massacre was omitted from historical records and largely suppressed in public memory. It was only in recent years, through the efforts of survivors, descendants, historians, and activists, that the massacre gained wider recognition and acknowledgment as a significant event in American history.

The Tulsa Race Massacre stands as a stark reminder of the consequences of racial discrimination and the importance of confronting and reckoning with the painful chapters of history to foster understanding, reconciliation, and healing.