Greenwood in Flames: A Look Into the Tulsa Race Massacre One Hundred Years Later

Greenwood was a thriving Black community in the segregated city of Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921. It was considered one of the most affluent communities among African Americans in the United States and was given the nickname Black Wall Street. Greenwood was a place where Blacks from the South could come for work opportunities, but Oklahoma began developing policies that resembled those of the Southern states. Racial tensions erupted into what was coined a riot destroying thirty-two blocks of property and resulting in the loss of many lives. As the centennial draws near, the name has been changed to the Tulsa Race Massacre. What gave rise to this “riot”, now massacre? How does this event still affect the community today? We will explore these questions by examining newspapers, articles, books, interviews, and first-hand accounts.