BLACK WALL STREET MASSACRE

Written by on June 1, 2020

In Tulsa, Oklahoma 1921, a wave of racial violence destroyed an affluent African-American community, seen as a threat to white-dominated American capitalism.
The scene was the Greenwood District, known as Black Wall Street in 1921. Interestingly enough, this event was 99 years ago on May 31st. The Tulsa Tribune falsely accused and reported that Dick Rowland, a Black man,  attempted to rape a white woman, Sarah Paige, without any investigation.

 

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99 years later and we are still fighting for justice. This is the Tulsa massacre aka the Tulsa Riots that happened in Tulsa Oklahoma on May 31 through June 1, 1921. Did you learn about this in school growing up? Many of us didn’t. We have to educate ourselves. We have to tell our stories. We cannot continue to be written out of history. “Those who control the present control the past and those who control the past control the future“ George Orwell. Yes, we come from societies with kings and queens but we also come from philosophers storytellers mathematicians inventors astronomers and so much more. Don’t let them rewrite this part of history like they wrote out Tulsa. Source: @blackwallst100

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This ignited a two day spark of racial violence and terrorism against the Greenwood community left thirty-five blocks of Black owned businesses and contemporary homes up in flames and/or damaged. An estimated 300 African-Americans were killed and hundreds more were said to be injured, according to reports. In addition to the murders, 9,000 people were left homeless. They also lost a remarkable school system that provided Black children with a superior education. A once thriving community left in shambles.

 

Rent the feature long film depicting the inhumane events that occured in Tulsa 99 years ago. Directed by, Langston University alumnus, Dekoven Riggins. The film was released late April and is now available for you to enjoy at home on Vimeo.

Black Wall Street Burning from Notis Studios on Vimeo.


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