May 31: The Tulsa Race Massacre Begins
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On May 31, 1921, Black Wall Street in Tulsa faced destruction after false accusations sparked a devastating attack, reminding us of the importance of remembering and healing history.
Today in history, May 31, 1921: a thriving neighborhood known as Black Wall Street was about to be attacked. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Greenwood District had built banks, shops, newspapers, churches, theaters, and homes in the face of segregation. That night, after a false accusation and a rush of mob violence, white Tulsans began destroying Greenwood; over the next day, blocks were burned, families were displaced, and many people were killed. The massacre still matters because history is not only what a country celebrates. It is also what it chooses to remember, repair, and tell the truth about.
