Echoes of Truth

Founding of Greenwood

O.W. Gurley, a wealthy Black landowner, purchases 40 acres of land in Tulsa and names it Greenwood after a city in Mississippi. He envisions a community where Black people can prosper economically.

Rise of Black Wall Street

Greenwood flourishes into a prosperous business district with hundreds of Black-owned businesses, including hotels, theaters, restaurants, and professional offices. The district becomes nationally known as "Negro Wall Street" and later "Black Wall Street."

By 1921, Greenwood has a population of approximately 10,000 and features:

• 191 businesses including grocery stores, restaurants, and luxury shops
• A school system that pays its teachers more than the state average
• 30 restaurants and two movie theaters
• 15 doctors, multiple lawyers, and a hospital

Red Summer and Rising Tensions

Following World War I, racial tensions escalate nationwide. In 1919, a period known as the "Red Summer" sees race riots in more than three dozen cities across the United States. In Tulsa, competition for jobs, housing, and economic opportunity creates a volatile environment.

The Elevator Incident

Dick Rowland, a 19-year-old Black shoeshiner, enters an elevator in the Drexel Building operated by Sarah Page, a 17-year-old white elevator operator. What happened in the elevator remains unclear, but Rowland is accused of assaulting Page.

Many historians believe he may have simply stepped on her foot or bumped into her, causing her to scream. Rowland flees the scene, fearing for his safety.

Rowland's Arrest

Dick Rowland is arrested and taken to the courthouse jail. The Tulsa Tribune publishes a front-page story with the inflammatory headline "Nab Negro for Attacking Girl in Elevator" and reportedly prints an editorial titled "To Lynch Negro Tonight" (this page was later removed from archived copies).

Gathering at the Courthouse

A white mob gathers outside the courthouse with the intent to lynch Rowland. Word reaches Greenwood, and a group of approximately 25 armed Black men, many of them World War I veterans, go to the courthouse to offer help protecting Rowland.

The sheriff refuses their assistance and they return to Greenwood, but rumors spread that Black residents are planning an "uprising." The white mob outside the courthouse grows to an estimated 2,000 people.

First Confrontation

A second group of approximately 75 armed Black men returns to the courthouse to help protect Rowland. They are met by about 1,500 white men, some of whom have been deputized by police and given weapons.

A confrontation occurs, a gun discharges, and shooting begins. The outnumbered Black men retreat toward Greenwood, with the white mob in pursuit.

Invasion of Greenwood

White rioters cross the railroad tracks into Greenwood and begin looting and burning buildings. Black residents defend their homes and businesses, but they are vastly outnumbered.

Eyewitnesses report that private airplanes fly over Greenwood, with some pilots firing rifles at Black residents and others dropping incendiary devices on buildings.

National Guard Arrival

The Oklahoma National Guard arrives in Tulsa around 9:15 AM with orders to quell the violence. However, rather than stopping white attackers, they primarily disarm and arrest Black residents, placing thousands in temporary detention centers.

By mid-morning, much of Greenwood is in ruins. The destruction covers 35 city blocks, with nearly 1,500 homes and businesses destroyed. Churches, schools, a hospital, and a library are among the buildings reduced to ashes.

Martial Law Declared

Oklahoma Governor J.B.A. Robertson declares martial law in Tulsa County. Approximately 6,000 Black Tulsans are held under armed guard at the Convention Hall, fairgrounds, and other locations.

To be released, Black residents must be "vouched for" by a white employer or citizen. Many are made to carry green identification cards signed by white employers.

Immediate Aftermath

Red Cross sets up relief efforts for displaced residents. Over 10,000 Black Tulsans are homeless, living in tents throughout the summer and into the winter.

Charges against Dick Rowland are dismissed after Sarah Page refuses to press charges. Despite this, not a single white person is arrested or prosecuted for murder, arson, or looting.

The Tulsa Tribune removes the inflammatory May 31 editorial from its bound volumes, and police and state militia reports about the massacre begin to disappear from archives.

Insurance Claims Denied

Insurance companies deny claims from Black property owners, citing "riot exclusion clauses" in their policies. This prevents survivors from recovering financial losses and rebuilding their wealth.

The city passes an ordinance that makes rebuilding prohibitively expensive by requiring the use of fireproof materials. Black attorney B.C. Franklin successfully challenges this ordinance in the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Rebuilding Begins

Despite enormous obstacles, Greenwood residents begin rebuilding their community without government assistance or insurance payouts. Churches serve as centers for relief and coordination.

By 1925, some Greenwood businesses have been rebuilt, though the district never fully recovers its pre-massacre prosperity.

Urban Renewal and Highway Construction

Federal "urban renewal" programs and the construction of Interstate 244 through the heart of Greenwood further erode what remains of the historic district. These projects, like many across the country, disproportionately displace Black communities.

Commission Formation

The Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 is formed to investigate the massacre officially for the first time. This marks the first official acknowledgment of the events by the state government.

Commission Report Released

The Commission releases its final report, confirming that the city of Tulsa had conspired with the mob of white citizens against Black citizens. It recommends reparations for survivors and descendants.

The report documents that the city deputized members of the mob, provided them with weapons, and participated in the burning and looting of Greenwood.

Lawsuit for Reparations

Survivors and descendants file a lawsuit seeking reparations from the city of Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma. The case eventually reaches the U.S. Supreme Court, which declines to hear it in 2005, citing statute of limitations.

John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park

The John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park opens in Tulsa, named for the historian whose father, B.C. Franklin, survived the massacre. The park includes monuments and educational exhibits about the massacre.

Greenwood Rising Construction Begins

Construction begins on Greenwood Rising, a history center honoring the legacy of Black Wall Street. The project is part of a broader effort to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the massacre.

Centennial and Renewed Attention

The 100th anniversary of the massacre brings renewed national attention to the events. President Joe Biden visits Tulsa and becomes the first sitting president to commemorate the massacre.

Multiple documentaries, books, and educational initiatives launch to ensure the history is more widely known. Tulsa Public Schools incorporates the massacre into its required curriculum for the first time.

Excavations confirm the existence of mass graves consistent with massacre victim burials, verifying another aspect of survivor accounts that had been questioned by officials for decades.

Ongoing Search for Justice

The search for additional mass graves continues. Legal efforts for reparations and recognition persist, with renewed calls for federal legislation to allow the lawsuit to proceed despite statute of limitations.

Survivors' descendants continue to advocate for acknowledgment, education, and financial compensation for the destruction of generational wealth.