In Tulsa, an ‘incredible American story’ of Black resilience is finally recognized
100 years after a racial massacre, new city initiatives shine a light on the revitalized Greenwood community.
The Tower of Reconciliation rises in John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The 25-foot-tall memorial by Ed Dwight tells the history of African Americans’ struggle, and honors early Black leaders in Tulsa.Photograph by Michael Noble Jr.,Tulsa World/AP
ByHeather Greenwood Davis
At the start of the award-winning television series
Watchmen, there’s a three-minute-30-second scene of destruction and terror, as a racist mob destroys a Black town. Civilians are shot, homes are bombed from planes overhead, and stores are set on fire. While
Code Switch's Recommended Reads About The Tulsa Massacre wamc.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wamc.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The last remaining survivors are fighting for reparations. City leaders are building a $30 million museum. Here s a look at how Tulsa is grappling with.
By Monique Balcarran
Source: OWN Communications / OWN Communications
The horrific story of
OWN Spotlight:
The Legacy of Black Wall Street. The first installment of the two-part special will air on the massacreâs 100th anniversary on Tuesday, June 1, followed by the second episode on Tuesday, June 8 on the network and Discovery+. Â
According to
Deadline, the docuseries will explore the bustling 36-block town of Oklahomaâs Greenwood district up to the deadly attack that left 300 people dead by racists mobs. It will also connect the stories of past and modern-day pioneers who continue to work to rebuild and heal the traumatized town.Â
Black-owned bookstores provide pathways to imagining new worlds or just our escaping our own prioritizing Black stories and storytellers consistently in a country that once considered it illegal for Black people to have the right to read.
Literacy is one of the most important paths to power. Black-owned book shops not only promote independent authors and distribute publications that are not widely available, they often double as meeting spaces, art galleries, and affordable vendor marketplaces for the neighborhood in which they are located.
Like many retail-based businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic and rising commercial rents threaten their ability to continue providing vital services which makes supporting these stores even more crucial at this time. See 15 Black-owned bookstores you can visit in your city or shop online below.