And mArking A commemorAtive AnniversAry As biden proposes to close the rAciAl <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/weAlth-gAp'>WeAlth GApA> in this country. Well bring thAt to you live And An Activist in belArus stAbs himself in the throAt in A courtroom insteAd of giving fAlse testimony. The lAtest horror spotlighting the brutAl dictAtorship there. Welcome to the leAd. Im jAke tApper. We begin todAy with A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/heAlth-leAd'>HeAlth LeAdA> And A return to morAlsy for millions of cAses. HospitAlizAtions, deAths And cAses All At their lowest points since About lAst yeAr. For the first time since mArch 2020, 14 months Ago, the sevendAy AverAge is below 20,000 cAses. Just A month Ago cAses were Around 50,000. Now this rApid drop is in lArge pArt due to vAccinAtions. HAlf of the totAl u. S. PopulAtion hAs received At leAst one dose. More thAn 40 Are fully vAccinAted, but A new study reported in <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/journAl-of-the-AmericAn-medicAl-AssociAtion'>JournAl Of The AmericAn MedicAl AssociAtionA> finds vAccinAtions Alone will not stop this pAndemic even though they do reduce sickness And deAths considerAbly. MAsks And physicAl distAncing, experts mAintAin, Are still needed to get <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/trAnsmission-rAtes'>TrAnsmission RAtesA> down becAuse so mAny millions of AmericAns continue to refuse to get the vAccine, so As cnns <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/AlexAndrA-field-reports'>AlexAndrA Field ReportsA> for us now, one expert sAys it would be, A quote, monumentAl error to think thAt the pAndemic is over. Just the best feeling in the world to finAlly she. Reporter the triumphAnt return of trAvel. I think theres A reAl excitement About hAving the tourists come bAck to our town. Its whAt we live And breAthe for. The unofficiAl stArt of summer, memoriAl <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/dAy-weekend'>DAy WeekendA>, mArked the busiest <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/Air-trAvel-stretch'>Air TrAvel StretchA> weve seen during the pAndemic with neArly <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/9-million'>9 MillionA> people pAssing through Airports. Were reAlly seeing A fAster recovery thAn AnticipAted. I think everyone nAtionwide hAd expected About A higher recovery rAmp. Reporter with the AverAge number of new covid cAses dropping below 20,000 <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/for-the-first-time'>For The First TimeA> since mArch of 2020, more mAsks Are coming off, more people Are getting out And the incentives to get shots Are rAmping up. In okAy sAw stArting todAy A choice of A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/scrAtchoff-lottery-ticket'>ScrAtchoff Lottery TicketA> or A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/gift-certificAte'>Gift CertificAteA> for <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/hunting-And-fishing'>Hunting And FishingA> license for people getting vAccinAted. And in st. Petersburg, floridA, tickets to A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/punk-bAnd-concert'>Punk BAnd ConcertA> Are going for 18 to vAccinAted fAns but unvAccinAted fAns must pAy neArly 1,000. Theres 250 people who bought tickets to the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/show-understAnding'>Show UnderstAndingA> thAt those were the stipulAtions, And i think they Are All very hAppily going to show their <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/vAccinAtion-records'>VAccinAtion RecordsA> so thAt they cAn come pArty And hAve A good time. HeAlth experts Are hopeful thAt <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/vAccine-confidence'>VAccine ConfidenceA> could soon get A boost Among hesitAnt. ModernA is Applying for full <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/fdA-Ale'>FdA AleA> i ApprovAl for its vAccine for people Aged 18 And up following A similAr Announcement by pfizer lAst month. The more people vAccinAted, the more protected we Are. All over the world, including jApAn where A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/big-push'>Big PushA> is on to get more shots in Arms. They hAve stArted vAccinAting is hundred olympic Athletes And stAff AheAd of the internAtionAl gAmes As the first internAtionAl Athletes trAvel from AustrAliA. Going to be very different times no, doubt About thAt. For the Athletes And fAns. SpectAtors mAy hAve to show proof of A negAtive <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/covid-test'>Covid TestA> And will only come from jApAn. Reporter so, jAke, even if you cAnt go to the olympics in jApAn this summer, could you hAve A chAnce At winning free tickets to A knicks plAyoff gAme. ThAt is if you get your shot here At mAdison squAre gArden. We should Also point out thAt this is something of A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/lAndmArk-dAy'>LAndmArk DAyA> for new york city. The city is reporting A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/positivity-rAte'>Positivity RAteA> of. 83 , thAts the lowest <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/number-weve'>Number WeveA> seen since the city stArted keeping trAck. JAke . ThAts greAt news. ThAnk you so much. Sin city is Also bAck in business. CAsinos Are tAking down the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/plexiglAss-And-entertAinment'>PlexiglAss And EntertAinmentA> venues Are throwing their doors open for full occupAncy events, but with so mAny folks continuing to refuse to get the vAccine And so mAny of these events indoors with poor ventilAtion, this is A highpriced gAmble As <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/cnns-lucy-kAfAnov'>Cnns Lucy KAfAnovA> reports. Reporter in downtown <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/lAs-vegAs'>LAs VegAsA>, A countdown to mArk skin citys comebAck. And its officiAlly open right now. Reporter As of 12 0 is <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/todAy-pAndemic'>TodAy PAndemicA> restrictions now A thing of the pAst. MAskless tourists celebrAting. You just hAve to see it in order to believe it. It feels good though to be bAck free. Hopefully everybody goes And gets vAccinAted And be bAck out here. Reporter <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/for-the-first-time'>For The First TimeA> in over A yeAr, visitors rocked out to live music. Reporter cAsinos, restAurAnts And hotels bAck to full cApAcity. Those <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/plexiglAss-dividers'>PlexiglAss DividersA> meAnt to keep gAmblers sAfe during the pAndemic, officiAlly coming down. In most plAces fully vAccinAted visitors cAn now ditch the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mAsk-And-scrAtch'>MAsk And ScrAtchA> sociAl <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/distAncing-but-heAlth'>DistAncing But HeAlthA> officiAls worry not everyone will plAy by the rules. The chAllenge is to get people to weAr their mAsks if they hAve not been vAccinAted. Its on the honor system. We hAve A lot of people on town on their first vAcAtion in A yeAr And A hAlf. Reporter but for A city so reliAnt on tourism, its A tricky bAlAnce. LAst yeAr the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/coronAvirus-pAndemic'>CoronAvirus PAndemicA> turned vegAs into A ghosttown. CAsinos were ordered to shut their doors costing thousAnds of jobs And billions in lost revenue. The vegAs jobless rAte shot to 33 lAst April to 7 in mArch, one of the worst in the nAtion. LArge trAiled shows And conventions cAme to A hAlt. How criticAl Are conventions to the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/lAs-vegAs'>LAs VegAsA> economy . They Are so criticAl thAt whAt you see on the strip would not mAke sense to build without meetings And conventions As A mAjor component of thAt. Reporter conventions bring in big bucks, And cruciAl weekdAy bookings contributing more thAn1<A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/1-billion'>1 BillionA> in 2019 Alone. Next week the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/lAs-vegAs'>LAs VegAsA> convention And <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/visitors-Authority'>Visitors AuthorityA> will debut its neArly <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/1-billion'>1 BillionA> expAnsion to host AmericAs first mAjor <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/trAde-show'>TrAde ShowA> since the pAndemic begAn. World of concrete tens of thousAnd people will be here june 8th. The first whAt hAve we cAll A citywide event to hAppen in the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/united-stAtes'>United StAtesA>. Reporter its An economic test where the stAkes Are high, even more A city Accustomed to high stAkes. And, jAke, it certAinly feels like things Are coming bAck to normAl. Theres A ton of optimism here, but theres still A long roAd AheAd. InternAtionAl trAvel hAs yet to return And thAts A missing economic piece And were not <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/out-of-the-woods'>Out Of The WoodsA> in terms of the pAndemic. Another cAse surge, A scAry vAriAnt, All thAt hAve could mAke the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/lAs-vegAs'>LAs VegAsA> gAmble effectively bAckfire. JAke . ThAnks so much. Lets discuss All of this with dr. MegAn rAin, AssociAte of professor At brown university. ThAnks for joining us. It seems mAny AmericAns decided to essentiAlly forgot the pAndemic for the memoriAl <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/dAy-weekend'>DAy WeekendA> trAveling And gAthering in record numbers. Is this still risky behAvior even though so mAny millions of AmericAn Adults And mAny teens, too, Are vAccinAted . YeAh, so lets stArt with the good news, jAke. The good us . ThAt every <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/one-of-us'>One Of UsA> who is fully vAccinAted is for the most pArt protected AgAinst this virus. You know, As weve tAlked About, thAts why the cdc lifted its recommendAtions for those of us who Are fully vAccinAted to mAsk. The trouble is thAt As you go Across the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/united-stAtes'>United StAtesA>, the percentAge of folks who Are fully vAccinAted vAries drAmAticAlly. In my <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/home-stAte'>Home StAteA> 60 of us Are fully vAccinAted And in the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/south-And-west'>South And WestA> its only 30 . In those stAtes its much riskier going bAck to normAl becAuse theres A higher percentAge of folks not fully vAccinAted And Are At risk of cAsk the virus or potentiAlly some of the new vAriAnts were seeing spreAd Across the world. Were stArting to see cAses tick up Among unvAccinAted folks And im worried we could see thAt here in stAtes with lower rAtes of vAccinAtion. On thAt subject, A new study in jAmA finds thAt vAccinAtions Alone Are cleArly wont be enough to stop the pAndemic, thAt mAsks And it is distAncing Are still required to get <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/trAnsmission-rAtes'>TrAnsmission RAtesA> down becAuse of so mAny people who Are not getting vAccinAted, whether its becAuse they refuse to or they dont hAve Access, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/cAnt-figure'>CAnt FigureA> out how to get A shot. Do you think thAt stAtes, some stAtes, the ones youre referring, to hAve gotten rid of their <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mAsk-mAndAtes'>MAsk MAndAtesA> too quickly . You know, it depends on how mAny cAses of covid they wAnt to see. There is An Attitude its eAch person out for themself. If you get sick, its your fAult. Youve hAd the choice to go And get A vAccine. If you didnt wAnt, it its on you. I would like to think thAts not how we work As A country, thAt we look out And we tAke cAre of eAch other. ThAts where universAl mAsking in <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/inside-locAtions'>Inside LocAtionsA> in pArticulAr, not so much outside, but inside, reAlly is importAnt in stopping the spreAd of this virus Among the vulnerAble, And, of course, its worst mAking the point, jAke, thAt there Are some folks who even After they Are fully vAccinAted mAy still need to mAsk, people who Are immunosuppressed, folks on chemo or other immunosuppressAnt diseAses, they need to stAy mAsked And we need to creAte A community where thAts okAy for them. I Am worried About those stAtes, pArticulArly the ones who hAve lifted <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mAsk-mAndAtes'>MAsk MAndAtesA> for schools. They Are putting those kids At risk. Put into context this news thAt weve reAd todAy thAt the chinese government hAs just reported the first possible <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/humAn-cAse'>HumAn CAseA> of A strAin of <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/bird-flu'>Bird FluA>. The chinese government sAys the risk of lArgescAle spreAd is low. Obviously A lot of people Are very skepticAl of whAt the chinese government sAys these dAys. How do you view this news . So theres two things About this. Someone thAt we hAve A greAt <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/bird-flu'>Bird FluA> <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/surveillAnce-progrAm'>SurveillAnce ProgrAmA> thAt is set up nAtionAlly. We didnt hAve thAt for coronAvirus. So we pick up these humAn or AnimAltohumAn trAnsmissions reAlly eArly. They hAppen fAirly frequently. Pick up A new cAse doesnt worry me in And of itself. WhAts going to mAtter is if theres humAntohumAn trAnsmission. The second thing thAt this points out even if we do vAnquish covid19 And were on trAck to do thAt in the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/united-stAtes'>United StAtesA>, if we get vAccines out to the rest of the world, well be in A better situAtion. Even if we mAke covid19 just A lowgrAde infection thAt kind of springs up during the winters And goes AwAy other times, there will be other infectious pAndemics, And it mAy not be this one, this <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/bird-flu'>Bird FluA>, but there will be others in the future so i hope weve leArned our lesson from the hAlf yeAr And A hAlf And set up better systems to protect us the next time Around. Dont throw out your mAsks. AppreciAte it. President biden speAking Any moment mArking one of the worst rAcist mAssAcres in AmericAn history. He Also will be presenting plAns to help with the heAling 100 yeArs lAter. StAy with us. <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/vo-nobody'>Vo NobodyA> dreAms in conventionAl thinking. It didnt get us to the moon. It doesnt ring the bell on <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/wAll-street'>WAll StreetA>. Or disrupt the stAtus quo. Tmobile for business uses unconventionAl thinking to help you reAlize new possibilities. Like our new work from Anywhere solutions, so your teAms cAn collAborAte Almost Anywhere. Plus <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/customer-experience'>Customer ExperienceA> thAt finds solutions in the moment. And firstclAss benefits, like 5g with every plAn. Network, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/support-And-vAlue'>Support And VAlueA> without Any trAdeoffs. ThAts tmobile for business. [ echoing ] some of us were born for this. To protect people. To help them sAve. With A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/home-And-Auto'>Home And AutoA> bundle from progressive. Ahh. I wAs born for this. And now its prime time. Cut. JAmie, whAt Are you doing . Youre not even in this one. I thought it wAs thursdAy. Sorry. It is. I thought i thought it wAs lAst thursdAy. It is. I thought it would be cool to ride A horse on the moon. Priceline works with top hotels, to sAve you up to 60 . These Are All greAt. And when you get A big deAl. You feel like A big deAl. Priceline. Every trip is A big deAl. So, you hAve diAbetes, here Are some eAsy rules. No sugAr. No pizzA. No foods you love. Stressed . No stress. Exercise. But no dAys off eAsy, no . No. No. No. No. But with <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/freestyle-libre'>Freestyle LibreA> 14 dAy, you cAn tAke the mystery out of your diAbetes. Now you know. Sir, do you know whAt you wAnt to order . Yes. Freestyle libre 14 dAy. Try it for free. I becAme A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/sofi-member'>Sofi MemberA> becAuse i needed to consolidAte my credit cArd debt. I needed just one simple wAy to pAy it All off. It wAs An eAsy decision to Apply with sofi loAns, just bAsed on the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/interest-rAte'>Interest RAteA> And how much i would be sAving. There wAs only one thAt stood out And one thAt ActuAlly mAde sense And thAt wAs sofi personAl loAns. It felt so freeing. I felt like i wAs finAlly out of this neverending trAp of interest And pAyments And debt. President biden About to tAke the stAge there. He is At the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/dAis-speAking'>DAis SpeAkingA> in tulsA, oklAhomA, in A speech mArking 100 yeArs since the deAdly <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/rAcist-AttAck'>RAcist AttAckA> of tulsA. Lets listen in. Im not sure who hes tAlking to there, some kids, it looks like. President biden About to commemorAte the 100 yeArs. I hAd to mAke sure thAt the two girls got <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/ice-creAm'>Ice CreAmA> when this is over. ImAgine how excited you would be when youre 4, 5. Almost 5 yeArs old. Coming to heAr A president speAk. Milord. In my fAith we cAll thAt purgAtory. LAuren, thAnk you for thAt grAcious introduction, And in cAse youre wondering i in delAwAre we Are A smAll stAte. We hAve the eighth lArgest blAck populAtion in AmericA And we hAve one of the most tAlented members of congress, And so if i didnt wAlk Around And pAy my tribute to lisA blunt rochester, my congresswomAn immediAtelich, thAt would [ ApplAuse ] how Are you, rev, good to see y you. Weve got A distinguished group of people here And thAnks to lAuren for shAring the powerful story And helping the country understAnd whAts hAppening here And to All the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/deese-dAnz'>Deese DAnzA> here todAy And to the community And civil rights leAders And the members of the congressionAl blAck connection thAt Are here, thAnk you for mAking sure thAt we All remember And we never forgot. You know, theres A verse in first corinthiAns thAt sAys for now we see in <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mA-mirror'>MA MirrorA> dimly, but then <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/fAce-to'>FAce ToA> fAce now i know in pArt then i shAll know fully. It is i just toured the hAll of survivors here in greenwood culturAl center, And i wAnt to thAnk the incredible stAff for hosting us here. [ ApplAuse ] And if i didnt sAy As my fAther would sAy, pleAse excuse my bAck, i Apologize, but tour in the tour i met <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mother-rAndAll'>Mother RAndAllA> who is only 56 yeArs old. [ lAughter ] god love her. And <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mother-fletcher'>Mother FletcherA> who is 67 yeArs old. And her brother <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/vAn-ellis'>VAn EllisA> who is 100 yeArs old, And he looks like hes 60. ThAnk you for spending so much time with me. I reAlly meAn it. It wAs A greAt honor, A genuine honor. You Are three known remAining survivors of A story seen in the mirror dimly, but no longer. Now your story will be known in full view. The events we speAk of todAy took plAce 100 yeArs Ago, And yet im the first president in 100 yeArs ever to come to tulsA. [ ApplAuse ] i sAy thAt not As A compliment About me but to think About it. 100 yeArs, And the first president to be here during thAt entire time, And in this plAce, in this ground to Acknowledge the truth of whAt took plAce here. For much too long the history of whAt took plAce here wAs told in silence. CloAked in dArkness, buff just becAuse history is silent, it doesnt meAn thAt it did not tAke plAce, And while dArkness cAn hide much, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/it-erAses'>It ErAsesA> nothing. It erAses nothing. Some injustices Are so heinous, so horrific, so grievous they cAnt be buried no mAtter how hArd people try, And so it is here only, only with truth, cAn come <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/heAling-And-justice'>HeAling And JusticeA> And repAir, only with truth, fAcing it, but thAt isnt enough. First, we hAve to see, heAr And give respect to <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mother-rAndAll'>Mother RAndAllA>, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mother-fletcher'>Mother FletcherA> And mr. VA n ellis. [ ApplAuse ] And to All those lost so mAny yeArs Ago, to All the descendAnts of those who suffered, to this community, thAts why were here, to shine A light, to mAke <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/sure-AmericA'>Sure AmericAA> knows the story in full. MAy 1921, formAlly enslAved blAck people Are here in tulsA, A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/boom-town'>Boom TownA> of <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/oil-And-opportunity'>Oil And OpportunityA> And A new frontier. On the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/north-side'>North SideA> Across the rAil trAcks thAt divided the city AlreAdy segregAted by lAw, they built something of their own. Worthy, worthy of their tAlent And their Ambition. Greenwood, A community, A wAy of life. BlAck doctors And lAwyers, pAstors, teAchers, running hospitAls, lAw prActices, librAries, churches, schools, blAck veterAns, like the mAn i hAd the privilege of giving the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/commAnd-coin'>CommAnd CoinA> to, who fought, volunteered And fought And cAme home And still fAced such prejudice. [ ApplAuse ] veterAns hAve been bAck A few yeArs helping After winning the first <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/world-wAr'>World WArA>, building A new life bAck home with pride An confidence. A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mom-And-pop'>Mom And PopA>, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/grocery-stores'>Grocery StoresA>, bArber shops, tAilors, things thAt mAke up A community. At the teAmlAnd theAter, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/A-young-blAck-couple'>A Young BlAck CoupleA> holding hAnds fAlling in love, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/friends-gAthered-At-music-clubs'>Friends GAthered At Music ClubsA> And <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/pool-hAlls'>Pool HAllsA> And At the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/monroe-roller-skAting'>Monroe Roller SkAtingA> rink. Visitors, stAying At hotels like the strAtford. All Around blAck pride And the professionAl clAss And the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/working-clAss'>Working ClAssA> who live together side by side for blocks on end. Mother rAndAll wAs just 6 yeArs old. 6 yeArs old living with her grAnd mom. She sAid she wAs lucky to hAve A home And toys And fortunAte to live without feAr. Mother fletcher wAs 7 yeArs old, the second of seven children. The y the youngest being mr. VAn ellis just A few months old. The children, former shAre kroerpgs, And they went to bed At night in greenwood <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mother-fletcher'>Mother FletcherA> sAys they fell Asleep rich in, terms of the weAlth, not reAl weAlth but A different weAlth, A weAlth in culture, And community And heritAge. [ ApplAuse ] but one night, one night chAnged everything, everything chAnged. While greenwood wAs A community to itself, it wAs not sepArAted from the outside. It wAsnt everyone, but there wAs enough hAte, resentiment And vengeAnce in the community, enough people who believed thAt AmericA does not belong to everyone And not everyone is creAted equAl. NAtive AmericAns, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/AsiAn-AmericAns'>AsiAn AmericAnsA>, hispAnic AmericAns, blAck AmericAns, A belief enforced by lAw, by bAdge And by hood And by noose thAt speAks to thAt lit the fuse. It lit it by the spArk thAt it provided, A fuse of fury wAs An innocent reAction And it turned into A terrible, terrible <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/heAdline-AllegAtion'>HeAdline AllegAtionA> of A blAck mAle, teenAger, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/AttAcking-A-white-femAle'>AttAcking A White FemAleA> teenAger. A white mob of <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/A-thousAnd'>A ThousAndA> gAthered Around the courthouse where the blAck teenAger is being held, reAdy to do it still occurred lynched thAt young mAn thAt night And 157 blAck men, including blAck veterAns Arrived to stAnd guArd. Words were exchAnged And then A scuffle, then shots were fired. Hell wAs unleAshed, literAl hell wAs unleAshed. Through the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/night-hAnd'>Night HAndA> into the morning the mob <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/terrorized-green-woorksd'>Terrorized Green WoorksdA> tortured it And guns, shooting At will, A mob <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/tied-A-blAck-mAn'>Tied A BlAck MAnA> by the wAist to the bAck of their truck with his heAd bAnging Along the pAvement hAs they drove off, A murdered fAmily tied to the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/fence-post'>Fence PostA> And privAte plAnes, privAte plAnes dronks pleAsives, the firs first <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/Air-AssAult'>Air AssAultA> of its kind here in tulsA. Eight of green wAAds churches burned. Mother rAndAll sAid it wAs like A wAr. Mother fletcher sAys All these yeArs lAter she still sees blAck bodies Around. The <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/greenwood-newspAper-publisher'>Greenwood NewspAper PublisherA> A. J. SmithermAn penned A poem of whAt he heArd And felt thAt night, And heres the poem. He sAid kill them. Burn them. Set the pAce. TeAch them how to keep their plAce. RAin of murder, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/theft-And-plirnd'>Theft And PlirndA> wAs the order of the night. ThAts whAt he remembers from the poem thAt he wrote. 100 yeArs Ago At this hour on this first dAy of june, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/smoke-dArkened'>Smoke DArkenedA> the tulsA sky. Rising from 35 blocks of greenwood thAt were left in Ash And ember, rAzed in rubble. Less thAn 24 hours, in less thAn 24 hours, 1,100 blAck hopes And businesses were lost. InsurAnce compAnies, they hAd insurAnce mAny of them rejected clAims of dAmAge. 10,000 people were left destitute And homeless. PlAced in internment cAmps. As i wAs told todAy, they were told dont you mention you were ever in A cAmp or well come And get you. ThAts whAt survivors told me. Yet no one, no Arrests of the mob were mAde, none. No proper Accounting of the deAd. The <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/deAth-toll'>DeAth TollA> records which locAl officiAls sAid there were 36 people. ThAts All. 36 people. BAsed on studies, records And Accounts, the likelihood the likely number is much more in the multiple of hundreds. You be told bodies dumped into mAss grAves. FAmilies who At A time wAited for hours And dAys to know the fAte of their <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/loved-ones'>Loved OnesA> Are now descendAnts who hAve gone 100 yeArs without cloture but As we speAk the process of exhuming the unmArked grAves hAve stArted, And At this moment i would like to pAuse for A moment of silence for the fAthers And mothers, sisters, sons And dAughters, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/friends-of-god'>Friends Of GodA> And greenwood. They deserve the dignity And they deserve our respect. MAy their souls rest i n peAce. My fellow AmericAns, this wAs not A riot. This wAs A mAssAcre. [ ApplAuse ] Among the worst in our history, but not the only one, And for too long forgotten by our history. As soon As it hAppened, there wAs A cleAr effort to erAse it from our memory, our collective memories. From the muss And everydAy conversAtions. For long time schools in tulsA didnt even teAch it let Alone schools elsewhere And most people didnt reAlize thAt A century Ago the second <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/ku-klux'>Ku KluxA> klAn hAd been founded, the second <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/ku-klux'>Ku KluxA> klAn hAd been founded, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/A-friend-of-mine'>A Friend Of MineA> jon meAchAm, i hAd written when i sAid i wAs running to restore <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/the-soul-of-AmericA'>The Soul Of AmericAA> he wrote A book cAlled <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/the-soul-of-AmericA'>The Soul Of AmericAA> not becAuse of whAt i sAid And theres A picture About pAge 160 in the book showing over 30,000 <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/ku-klux'>Ku KluxA> klAn members in full regAliA, reverend, pointed hAts, the robes, mArching down <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/pennsylvAniA-Avenue'>PennsylvAniA AvenueA> in wAshington, d. C. Jesse, you know All About this. WAshington, d. C. If my memory is correct, there were 37 members of the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/house-of-representAtives'>House Of RepresentAtivesA> who were <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/open-members'>Open MembersA> of the klAn. There were five if im not mistAken, could hAve been seven members of the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/united-stAtes-senAte'>United StAtes SenAteA> <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/open-members'>Open MembersA> of the klAn. Multiple governors <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/open-members'>Open MembersA> of the klAn. Most people didnt reAlize thAt A century Ago the klAn wAs founded just six yeArs before the horrific destruction here in tulsA. And one of the reAsons why it wAs founded wAs becAuse of guys like me Are cAtholic. It wAsnt About AfricAnAmericAns then. It wAs About mAking sure thAt All those polish And irish And itAliAn And eAstern <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/europeAn-cAtholics'>EuropeAn CAtholicsA> who cAme to the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/united-stAtes'>United StAtesA> After <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/world-wAr'>World WArA> i would not pollute christiAnity. The flAmes from those burning crosses torched every region of the country. Millions of <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/white-AmericAns'>White AmericAnsA> belonged to the klAn, And they werent even embArrAssed by it. They were proud of it, And thAt hAte becAme embedded systemAticAlly And systemicAlly in our lAws And our culture. We do ourselves no fAvors by pretending none of this ever hAppened or it doesnt impAct us todAy becAuse it does still impAct us todAy. We cAnt just choose to leArn whAt we wAnt to know And not whAt we should know. [ ApplAuse ] we should know the good, the bAd, everything. ThAts whAt greAt nAtions do. They come to terms with their dArk sides, And were A greAt nAtion. The only wAy to build A common ground is to truly repAir And to rebuild. I come here to help fill the silence becAuse in silence wounds deepen. [ ApplAuse ] And only As pAinful And only in remembrAnce do wounds heAl. We just hAve to choose to remember. We memoriAlize whAt hAppened here in tulsA so it cAn be so it cAnt be erAsed. We know here in this hAllowed plAce we simply cAnt bury <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/pAin-And-trAumA'>PAin And TrAumAA> forever, And At some point there will be A reckoning, An inflection point, like were fAcing right now As A nAtion. WhAt mAny people hAdnt seen before or simply refused to see cAnnot be ignored Any longer. You see it in so mAny plAces. Theres greAter recognition thAt for too long weve Allowed A nArrowed, crAmped view of the promise of this nAtion to fester, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/the-view'>The ViewA> thAt AmericA is A zero sum gAme, where theres only one winner. If you succeed, i fAil. If you get AheAd, i fAll behind. If you get A job i lose mine An mAybe worth of All, if i hold you down i lift myself up. InsteAd of you do well, we All do well. The [ ApplAuse ] wey. In greenwood. The this <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/story-isnt'>Story IsntA> About the life, the loss of living And <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/weAlth-And-posterity'>WeAlth And PosterityA> And possibilities thAt still reverberAtes todAy. Mother <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/fletcher-tAlks'>Fletcher TAlksA> About how she wAs Able to Attend school in <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/fourth-grAde'>Fourth GrAdeA> And found work in the shipyArd As A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/domestic-worker'>Domestic WorkerA> And mr. VAn ellis sAys even After enlisting And serving in <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/world-wAr'>World WArA> ii he still cAme home to struggle with A segregAteled AmericA. ImAgine All those hotels And dinners And <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mom-And-pop'>Mom And PopA> shops thAt could hAve been pAssed down these mAst 100 yeArs. ImAgine colorAdo hAve been done for blAck fAmilies in greenwood. FinAnciAl security And generAtionAl weAlth. If you come from A bAckground like my fAmily, work clAss, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/middle-clAss'>Middle ClAssA> fAmily, the only wAy we were ever Able to generAte Any weAlth wAs the equity in our homes. MAnAge whAt they contributed then And whAt they could hAve contributed All these yeArs. ImAgine A thriving <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/greenwood-And-tulitA'>Greenwood And TulitAA> for the lAst 100 yeArs thAn would hAve meAnt for All of tulsA including the white community. The people of greenwood rebuilt AgAin in the yeArs After the mAssAcre. It didnt lAst. EventuAlly neighborhoods were redlined on mAps, locking blAck tulsA out of homeownerships. A highwAy wAs built right through the heArt of the community. I wAs tAlking About our west side whAt 959 did After we were occupied by the militAry After dr. King wAs murdered. The <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/community-cutting'>Community CuttingA> off blAck fAmilies And hisses from jobs And opportunity. Denied Access to Allow greenwood to be rebuilt. We must chAnge the things thAt we know we cAn chAnge. ThAts whAt <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/vice-president'>Vice PresidentA> hArris And i Are focused on Along with our entire office including mArshA fudge, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/Acting-director'>Acting DirectorA> of homelAnd security, who is here with us todAy. [ ApplAuse ] becAuse todAy were Announcing two expAnded efforts tArgeted towArds blAck <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/weAlth-creAtion'>WeAlth CreAtionA> thAt will Also help the entire community. The first is moy AdministrAtion hAs lAunched An Aggressive effort to combAt rAciAl discriminAtion in housing including everything from redlining to the cruel fAct hAd A home owned by A blAck fAmily is too often ApprAised At A lower vAlue of A similAr home opened by A white fAmily. And i might Add, And i need help Answering this, And i <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/cAnt-figure'>CAnt FigureA> this one out, congressmAn, but if you live in A blAck community And theres Another one on the other side of the highwAy, its A commit community built by the sAme bird, And you hAve A better <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/driving-record'>Driving RecordA> thAn the guy with the sAme cAr in the white community, youre pAying more for your Auto insurAnce. Shock ily the percentAge of blAck AmericAn ownership is <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/lower-todAy'>Lower TodAyA> thAn it wAs 50 yeArs Ago. Lower todAy, And thAts wrong And were committed to chAnging thAt. Just imAgine AmericAns who build their own homes And build generAtionAl heAlth we mAde it possible for them to buy A home And grow equity And smAll businesses Are the glue of our communities. As president my AdministrAtion oversees hundreds of billions in federAl contrActs from everything from <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/refurbishing-decks'>Refurbishing DecksA> of <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/AircrAft-cArriers'>AircrAft CArriersA> And instAlling rAilings to professionAl services. Theres A thing cAlled i wont go into it now, but im determined to use every <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/tAxpAyer-dollAr'>TAxpAyer DollArA> Assigned to me to spend going to AmericAn compAnies And AmericAn workers to build AmericAn products, And As pArt of thAt im going to increAse the shAre of the dollArs the federAl government spends to smAll disAdvAntAge businesses including blAck And brown smAll businesses. Right now it cAlls for <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/zo-'>ZoA> . Im going to move thAt to hAve A of every dollAr spent. I hAve the Authority to do thAt. Just imAgine, insteAd of denying millions of entrepreneurs the Ability to Access cApitAl And contrActs, we mAde it possible to tAke their dreAms to the mArketplAce And creAte jobs And invest in our communities. The dAtA shows young blAck entrepreneurs Are just As cApAble of succeeding given the chAnce As white entrepreneurs, Are but they dont hAve lAwyers. They dont hAve they they dont hAve AccountAnts, but they hAve greAt ideAs. Does Anyone doubt this whole nAtion would be better off from the investments those people mAke And i promise you. ThAts why i set up the nAtionAl smAll <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/business-AdministrAtion'>Business AdministrAtionA> thAts much broAder becAuse they Are going to get those loAns. InsteAd of consigning millions of AmericAn children to underresourced school lets get eAch And every child thAts 4 And 5 yeArs old Access to school, not dAy cAre, school. [ ApplAuse ] in the lAst step yeArs, studies hAve been done by All the greAt universities thAt show thAt it increAses by 50 no mAtter the bAckground they come from if they stArt school At 3 yeArs old. They hAve A 56 chAnce of going All through All 12 yeArs without Any trouble And being tAble do well. And A chAnce to leArn And grow And thrive in A school And throughout their lives, And lets unlock more thAn An incredible creAtivity An innovAtion thAt will come from the nAtions blAck colleges And universities. I hAve A 5 Billion A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/yeAr-progrAm'>YeAr ProgrAmA> giving me the resources to invest in reseArchers . And lAborAtories And to compete for jobs like cyber security. The students Are Able to leArn it As well And get the good pAying jobs, but they dont hAve the monnie to try to build those lAborAtories. So guess whAt. They will get the money to build their lAb trips. InsteAd of just tAlking About infrAstructure, lets tAlk About the Action of rebuilding roAds And highwAys, filling the sidewAlks And crAcks An instAlling streetlights And high <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/speed-internet'>Speed InternetA> And creAting sAfe to work And plAy sAfely, Access to heAlth cAre, cleAn Air And cleAn wAter, neArby <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/grocery-stores'>Grocery StoresA> stocked with fresh vegetAbles And food. I meAn, these Are All things we cAn do. Does Anyone doubt this whole nAtion would be better off with these investments . The rich will be just As well off. The <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/middle-clAss'>Middle ClAssA> will do better And everybody will do better. Its About good pAying jobs, finAnciAl stAbility And being Able to build some generAtionAl weAlth. Its About economic growth for our country And outcompeting the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/rest-world'>Rest WorldA> which is now outcompeting us. But just As fundAmentAl As Any of these investments thAt ive discussed is the mAybe the most fundAmentAl, the right to vote. The right to vote. [ ApplAuse ] A lot of the members of the blAck cAucus knew <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/john-lewis'>John LewisA> better thAn i did, by knew him. The on his deAth bed, like mAny, i cAlled john to speAk to him. Ch All john wAnted to do wAs tAlk About how i wAs doing. He died i think About it A hours lAter, but you know whAt john skid. He cAlled the right to vote precious, Almost sAcred. He sAid the most powerful nonviolent tool we hAve in A democrAtic society. Will this sAcred right is under AssAult with incredible intensity like ive never seen, even though i got stArted As public defender And A civil rights lAwyer. With An intensity And An Aggressive thAt weve not seen in A long, long time. Its simply unAmericAn. Its not, however, sAdly unprecedented. The creed we shAll overcome is A longtime mAinstAy of the civil <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/rights-movement'>Rights MovementA> And <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/jesse-jAckson'>Jesse JAcksonA> cAn tell you better thAn Anybody. The obstAcle to progress thAt hAs to be overcome Are A constAnt chAllenge. We sAw it in the 60s, but with the current AssAult its not just An exo of A distAnt history. In 2020 we fAced A tireless AssAult on the right to vote, restrictive lAws, lAwsuits, threAts of intimidAtion, voter purges And more. We resolved to overcome it All And we did. More AmericAns voted in the lAst election in the midst of A pAndemic thAn Any election in AmericAn history. You got voters registered. You got voters to the polls. The rule of lAw held. DemocrAcy prevAiled. We overcAme, but tAiled leApt me be unequivocAl. Ive been engAged in this work my whole cAreer, And were going to be rAmping up efforts to overcome AgAin. I will more to sAy About this At A lAter dAte, A truly unprecedent AssAult on our democrAcy, An effort to replAce nonpArtisAn election AdministrAtors And to intimidAte those chArged with tAllying And reporting the election results, but todAy As for the Act of voting itself i urge Voting Rights Groups in this country to begin to redouble their efforts now to register And to educAte voters. [ ApplAuse ] in june should be A month on cApitol hill. I heAr folks on tv sAying why doesnt biden get this done. Biden hAs fourvote mAjority in the house And just one in the senAte. If were not giving up. EArlier this yeAr the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/house-of-representAtives'>House Of RepresentAtivesA> pAssed for the people Act to protect the people. The senAte will tAke it up lAte they Are month And ill fight like heck with every tool At my disposAl for its pAssAge And the house is work okAy the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/john-lewis'>John LewisA> <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/voting-Act'>Voting ActA> to provide new legAl tools to combAt the fight on the right to vote. TodAy im Asking <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/vice-president'>Vice PresidentA> hArris rp. HAd her <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/leAdership-And-support'>LeAdership And SupportA> were doing overcome AgAin, i promise you, but you will tAke A hell of A lot of work And finAlly we hAve to And finAlly we must Address whAt remAins the stAin on <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/the-soul-of-AmericA'>The Soul Of AmericAA>. WhAt hAppened in greenwood wAs An Act of hAte And domestic terrorism with the through line thAt exists todAy still. Just close your eyes And remember whAt you sAw in chArlottesville four yeArs Ago on television. NeonAzis, white supremAcists, the kkk coming out of those fields At night in virginiA with lightled torches, the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/veins-bulge'>Veins BulgeA> As they were screAming. Just close your eyes And picture whAt it wAs. Well, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mother-fletcher'>Mother FletcherA> sAid when she sAw the insurrection At the cApitol on jAnuAry the 9th it broke her heArt. Will A mob of violent white extremists, thugs sAid reminded her of whAt hAppened here in greenwood 100 yeArs Ago. Look Around At the vArious hAte crimes AgAinst <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/AsiAn-AmericAns'>AsiAn AmericAnsA> And jewish AmericAns. HAte thAt never goes AwAy. HAte only hides. Jesse, i think i mentioned this to you. I thought After you guys pushed through with dr. King the voting <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/rights-Act'>Rights ActA> And the civil <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/rights-Act'>Rights ActA>, i thought we moved. WhAt i didnt reAlize i thought we hAd mAde enormous progress And i wAs so proud to be A little pArt of it, but you know whAt, re vrks i didnt reAlize hAte is never defeAted. It only hides. It hides. The And given A little bit of oxygen, just A little bit of oxygen by its leAders it comes out of there from upped the rock like it wAs hAppening AgAin, As if it never went AwAy, And so, folks, we cAnt. We must not give hAte A sAfe hArbor. As i sAid in my Address to the joint session of congress, According to the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/intelligence-community'>Intelligence CommunityA>, terrorism from white supremAcy is the most lethAl threAt to the homelAnd todAy, not isis, not Al qAedA, white supremAcists. ThAts not me. ThAts the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/intelligence-community'>Intelligence CommunityA> under both sump And under my AdministrAtion. Two weeks Ago i signed A lAw the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/covid19-hAte'>Covid19 HAteA> crimes Act in the house And senAte. My AdministrAtion will soon lAy out our broAder strAtegy to counter domestic terrorism And the violence driven by the most heinous hAte crimes And other Arms to hAve bigotry, but im going to close where i stArted. To <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mother-rAndAll'>Mother RAndAllA>, <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mother-fletcher'>Mother FletcherA>, mr. VAn ellis, to the descendAnts And to All survivors, thAnk you. ThAnk you for giving me the honor of being Able to some time up eArlier todAy. ThAnk you for your courAge. ThAnk you for your xwritment And thAnk your nieces And newses. To see And leArn from you is A gift And one of AmericA egreAtest historiAn, tulss rAre sAid, And i questions, whAtever you do About must be done in the spirit of mutuAl respect And eAch love. How else cAn we overcome the pAst And be worthy of our forbeArers Andfies the future with confidence And with hope . On this sAcred And solemn dAy mAy we find thAt distinctly greenwood spirit thAt defines the AmericAn spirit, the spirit thAt gives me so much <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/confidence-And-hope'>Confidence And HopeA> for the future thAt helps us see <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/fAce-to'>FAce ToA> fAce the spirit, thAt helps us know fully who we Are And who we cAn be As A people And As A nAtion. Ive never been more optimistic About the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/future-todAy'>Future TodAyA> thAn i hAve ever been And the reAson is becAuse of the generAtion of the younger people. They Are the best educAted, the leAst prejudiced, the most open generAtion in AmericAn history, And Although i hAve no scientific bAse for whAt im About to sAy, but those of you who Are over 50, how often did you ever see howch often did you see Advertisements on television with blAck And white couples. Not A joke. I chAllenge you. Find todAy when you turn on the stAtions, sit on one stAge for two hours. I dont know how mAny youll see. Eight to feifel. Two to three out of five hAve mixed rAce couples in them. ThAts not by Accident. They Are selling soAp, mAn. Not A joke. Remember All pAcAdelli. WAnt to know whAts hAppening in AmericAn culture. WAtch Advertising becAuse they wAnt to sell whAt they hAve hAve. We hAve hope, in folks like you, honey. I reAlly meAn it. We hAve hope, but weve got to give them support. We hAve got to give them the bAckbone to do whAt we know hAs to be done As i doubt whether Any of you wouldnt be here if you didnt cAre deeply About this. You sure As devil doesnt come to heAr me speAk, but i reAlly meAn it. I reAlly meAn it. Lets not give up, mAn. The lets not give up. As the old sAying goes, hope springs eternAl. I know weve tAlked A lot About fAmous people, but im my colleAgues in the senAte used to AlwAys kid me becAuse i wAs AlwAys quoting irish poets. They think i did it becAuse im irish. The they think i did it becAuse we irish hAve A little chip on our shoulder A little bit sometimes. ThAts not why i did it. I did it becAuse they Are the best poets in the world. The you cAn smile. Its okAy. There wAs A fAmous poet who wrote A poem cAlled the curvey troy. And theres A stAnzA in it thAt i think is the definition of whAt i think should be <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/cAll-todAy'>CAll TodAyA> for our young people. It sAys history teAches us not to hope on this side of the grAve, but once in A lifetime the tidAl wAve of justice rises up And hope hAnd history rhyme. The lets mAke it rhyme. The thAnk you. [ ApplAuse ] p. Youve been listening to <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/president-biden'>President BidenA> <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/joe-biden'>Joe BidenA> speAk in tulsA, oklAhomA to mArk 100 yeArs since the citys deAdly rAcist mAssAcre AgAinst the blAck populAtion of tulsA. President biden note the hes the first president in the lAst century to visit the city And Acknowledge the horrors of thAt dAy when A white mob descend on A prosperous <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/tulsA-neighborhood'>TulsA NeighborhoodA> known As blAck <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/wAll-street'>WAll StreetA> robbing And killing hundreds of blAck residents, looting And burning down entire city blocks. Cnns <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/Abby-philip'>Abby PhilipA> is live in tulsA for cnn. President biden, he sAid he thinks this is A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/infliction-point'>Infliction PointA> for the u. S. SAying whAt some people refuse to see cAnnot be ignored Anymore. Reporter And A hAlf. He sAid greAt nAtions confront their history And i think thAts exActly whAt this visit wAs All About. The highest office in the lAnd Acknowledging <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/for-the-first-time'>For The First TimeA> whAt hAppened here in tulsA, And, you know, its not just thAt there were individuAls who perpetrAted violence And crimes here 100 yeArs Ago. One of the things thAt blAck tulsAns tAlk About All the time wAs thAt there wAs Almost A <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/stAte-sAnction'>StAte SAnctionA> of the mAssAcre. The fire depArtments thAt didnt come out to tAke out fires. The nAtionAl guArd thAt wAs involved. PlAnes thAt rAined down fire on this community And so to Acknowledge thAt from <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/president-biden'>President BidenA> i think is very, very significAnt here. He Also spoke At length About the three remAining survivors who experienced And witnessed thAt mAssAcre, All of this in A effort to sAy thAt this is not the time to erAse this kind of try, especiAlly when weve been discussing As A nAtion whAt is the true history, biden mAking it cleAr thAt this is pArt of our history in order to remember And recount so not to hAve this hAppen AgAin. And <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/president-biden'>President BidenA> used this speech to roll out new policies to close the rAciAl <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/weAlth-gAp'>WeAlth GApA>. ThAts right. You know, where i stAnd right now you cAn see behind me most whAt hAve is behind me would hAve been greenwood 100 yeArs Ago. BlAckowned, prosperous. Now thAts being redeveloped but being redeveloped by mostly white businesses. BlAck businesses own nothing in greenwood. And todAy one of the things thAt biden wAs tAlking About wAs trying to reinvest in blAck businesses And blAck communities, but stArting with the federAl government. The federAl government hAs An enormous Amount of purchAsing power. He sAid he would increAse by 50 the contrActs thAt Are given to minorityowned businesses. He Also tAlked About proposAls thAt would reinvest in blAck communities in, infrAstructure And in trAnsportAtion, now, jAke, some of these proposAls Are going to require congressionAl ApprovAl. They Are pArt of his AmericAn jobs plAn thAt hAs not been Approved by congress, but its pArt of whAt the White House is trying to to tAlk About todAy which is not just whAt hAppened 100 yeArs Ago here in tulsA, but in the 100 yeArs in thAt time, there were decAdes And decAdes of systemic rAcism, policies thAt were put in plAce by governments And cities thAt mAde it impossible for blAck people And blAck fAmilies to own And AccumulAte weAlth, And some of the proposAls Are designed to rectify thAt though mAny people sAy munching much more needs to be done. Abe philip in tulsA, oklAhomA. AppreciAte it. Joining us now to discuss <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/mArtin-luther-king'>MArtin Luther KingA> iii And cornell west, professor At hArvArd university. ThAnks for joining us on this dAy. Mr. King, let me stArt with you. Your reAction to whAt you just heArd from <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/president-biden'>President BidenA>. Well, i think thAt the president s speech wAs very genuine, And the goAls Are AppropriAte, but As hAs been sAid theres A tremendous Amount of work thAt hAs to be done becAuse of the vestAges of rAcism. WhAt mAny hAppened in 1921 wAnd ot And other AreAs. You hAd rosewood in floridA And mAny incidents throughout the yeArs thAt hAve occurred over And over AgAin so the question is mAybe we need to be tAlking About <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/repArAtions-todAy'>RepArAtions TodAyA> As the discussion point. I know theres A commission in plAce, And i think becAuse AmericAns dont know this history, mAybe theres been resistAnce, by think the more And more thAt history is reveAled becAuse of people who do not remember their history Are in fAct doomed to repeAt the mistAkes of pAst, but this history hAs been buried so todAy its being reveAled more And more. Dr. West, for people who mAy not understAnd the significAnce of the <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/tulsA-mAssAcre'>TulsA MAssAcreA> And quite frAnkly i did not leArn it when i wAs in <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/grAde-school'>GrAde SchoolA> or Junior High or High School or college. CAn you explAin why its so importAnt for A sitting u. S. President to visit tulsA, memoriAlize the victims And clArify thAt it wAsnt A rAce riot. It wAs A rAcist mAssAcre. Absolutely. In fAct, it wAs the bArbAric moment in the 400 <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/yeArs-wAr'>YeArs WArA> AgAinst blAck people so <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/brother-mArtin'>Brother MArtinA> is Absolutely right. We cAn tAlk About wilmington 1898, springfield 1908, ArkAnsAs in 1919 All the wAy up to <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/breonnA-tAylor'>BreonnA TAylorA> And <A href='https://vimArsAnA.com/news/george-floyd-jvrmt'>George Floyd JvrmtA> i think whAt brother biden did At leAst he cAst A