The Tulsa Race Massacre, White Supremacy and the Destruction of Black Wall Street

Abstract

Some might think about what happened in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1921, as unimportant; but the destruction of “Black Wall Street,” or the gem of the Black Greenwood District, was uncalled for. After all, segregation, white supremacy and white mob rule was the order of the day at this time. Furthermore, those who have tried to omit this incident from history or the historical record insult the intelligence of all Americans. But this “cover-up” is the repressive nature of sinister white supremacy. The destruction of “Black Wall Street” has been described as one of the most heinous crimes in American history. So can something like this racist incident happen again? Keep in mind that those heartless individuals who perpetuated the assault on the Black Greenwood community, obviously, didn’t care about the humanity of Black Tulsans. Of course, there was nothing dignified about this crime; therefore, what happened can never be rationalized or justified.

Finally, as a nation, we must come to terms with this tragedy through reconciliation, atonement and reparations, without sweeping what happened under the rug, or pretending that this incident never occurred; or that it is not important, particularly during these polarizing times in our history.