Today, we think of
our brave fallen warriors
who fought heroically.
(Image by Jackie Williamson from Pixabay)
Remember the soldiers who gave up their lives fighting for us in the Civil War, World War II, Vietnam War, Korean War, and the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A long-awaited
memorial of those lost
due to their color.
(Picture from Tulsa Historical Society Museum)
Also known as the Greenwood Massacre that happened on May 31 and June 1, 1921, is the worst act of racial violence in American History. It was started by a large group of White people that violently attacked all Black residents in the Oklahoma town known as Black Wallstreet. The merciless mob arrived there due to an accusation made by a female White elevator operator accusing a male Black shoeshiner of attacking her by stepping on her foot. He was arrested for it. While being detained, the townsfolk went to protect him from being lynched. In the midst of that protesting, chaos began after a shot was fired at a White man when he tried to disarm a Black man.
After all of the damage was done, many were injured and 300+ killed along with much of their real estate burned down. This horrific event created the following:
According to Wikipedia.com, "About 10,000 Black people were left homeless, and property damage amounted to more than $1.5 million in real estate and $750,000 in personal property (equivalent to $32.65 million in 2020). Many survivors left Tulsa, while Black and White residents who stayed in the city kept silent about the terror, violence, and resulting losses for decades."
Closer to Today:
89 years later in 2010, this park in Tulsa was dedicated in remembrance of the Tulsa Race Massacre.
There are more photos of the park that can be viewed on their website.
In 2020, the massacre incident was added to the Oklahoma school curriculum after educators requested it to address systemic change.
Sources:
