One hundred years after the worst instance of racist mob violence in 20th-century America, the Tulsa Race Massacre is finally getting the attention it is due. The 1921 terrorist attack by an armed white mob against a prosperous Black community is perhaps one of the clearest and most extreme illustra.
How the Tulsa Race Massacre Was a Violent Act of Racist Economic Injustice The Little Africa section of Tulsa, OK in flames in 1921 (Image by Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
An underappreciated factor in the racist violence of the 1921 Tulsa massacre is how white supremacist forces decimated Black wealth.
By Sonali Kolhatkar
One hundred years after the worst instance of racist mob violence in 20th-century America, the Tulsa Race Massacre is finally getting the attention it is due. The 1921 terrorist attack by an armed white mob against a prosperous Black community is perhaps one of the clearest and most extreme illustrations of how many African Americans were stripped of their wealth for a generation.
The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Commission earmarked $20 million for the project, and its purpose is to educate visitors about the massacre.
The building has not been uncontroversial. Some public officials say they oppose the way the money was spent.
Phil Armstrong is the chair of the commission. He spoke at the opening ceremony to a crowd seated in folding chairs at the corner of Greenwood Avenue and Archer Street.
He began by thanking various donors, including Mary Ann Hille of Hille Foundation who donated the land for the center.
“In spite of what some of our critics have said, yes, donate means 100% free and clear with no strings attached,” said Armstrong.
Why So Many Tulsa Residents Wrestle With Remembering And Commemorating The 1921 Massacre
People in the city, particularly those descended from survivors, are still struggling with their history and the details of what was kept from them.
Published 2 minutes ago
Written by Jennifer Matthews
On May 31 and June 1, 1921, the Greenwood District, 35 blocks of prosperous Black businesses and a community of well-off Black people was smoldering from an attack of racial terrorism.
Today what’s left is only a small nook at the corner of Greenwood and Archer.
The Oklahoma Eagle, the Black-owned newspaper that succeeded
The Tulsa Star after it burned down in the 1921 massacre, sits there.
One Tulsa, LLC and its founder Fred Jones announced details about the multi generational, multi-genre compilation album 1921.The Black Wall Street Music Project.