The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 stands as one of the most devastating episodes of racial violence in American history. Occurring in the Greenwood district of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a prosperous African American community known as "Black Wall Street," the massacre was sparked by an allegation of a black man assaulting a white woman.
In the ensuing chaos, a white mob, deputized by local authorities, looted and burned businesses, homes, and churches, leaving an estimated 300 dead and thousands homeless. The violence was marked by indiscriminate shootings and the use of airplanes dropping incendiary devices on the neighborhood.
The aftermath was marked by a concerted effort to cover up the event, with survivors silenced and records of the massacre suppressed for decades. The economic and psychological impact on the black community was profound, as Greenwood was left in ruins and its inhabitants faced systemic discrimination and economic disenfranchisement.
It was not until recent years that efforts to acknowledge and reckon with the atrocity gained traction, with calls for reparations and greater recognition of the massacre's significance in American history.
The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.
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The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921