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Greenwood was a thriving community in Tulsa, OK. The Black community supported its businesses and the social life was abundant. The story of Greenwood is a story of people that settled the state in the 19th century.
@AmExperiencePBS #TTownPBS
@AmExperiencePBS #TTownPBS
The settlers of Greenwood included Choctaw Indians and slaves. The Great Land Rush of 1889 brought a wave of Black settlers and whites to the territory. Blacks saw Oklahoma as a place of opportunity. By the early 1900s there were up to 27 all Black towns. #TTownPBS
In those days the oil boom was strong and money was flowing freely. The Black community - left out of the benefits of oil - found jobs in service: porters, janitors, and elevator operators. #TTownPBS
There was a fierce effort to maintain segregation. Bigotry was out in the open. Black communities insulated for self-protection. Businesses in Greenwood grew. #TTownPBS
Greenwood had its own public transportation, with Black drivers. Blues music flowed through the community. Some of the best BBQ around! #TTownPBS
By 1921, the Black population of Tulsa was almost 11,000!
15 groceries; 2 Black newspapers; 2 Black public schools; 13 churches. There was an enclave in which Black people had a measure of independence, of clout.
#TTownPBS
15 groceries; 2 Black newspapers; 2 Black public schools; 13 churches. There was an enclave in which Black people had a measure of independence, of clout.
#TTownPBS
Still, the Ku Klux Klan was rampant. It was a dangerous time to be Black in America. Between 1917-1921, Blacks were being beaten and lynched in alarming numbers. The KKK was just west of the primary Black community of Tulsa.
#TTownPBS
#TTownPBS
It was confrontational in the community. No one though was prepared for May 31, 1921.
#TTownPBS
#TTownPBS
A minor incident in which a young Black man accidentally touched a woman when tripping inside an elevator sparked the call for a lynching. The Black community was ready for his defense. #TTownPBS
A Black crowd gathered at the courthouse. A scuffle broke out with white residents. They came into the Black area of Greenwood, setting fires and looting. Destroyed the community. Black residents fled with nothing. #TTownPBS
A Black man recalls white residents coming into his childhood home while he hid under the bed. They burned everything down. #TTownPBS
Another Black man recalls his father going with other men to protect their wives and children. Suddenly, armed white soldiers arrived in train cars. Residents were terrified. Black men were rounded up, tagged for identification. #TTownPBS
Many were murdered in Greenwood. Property destroyed. The Red Cross reported 300 dead. The newspaper reported 100. City officials stated it was 36.
35 blocks of Black Tulsa was burned. Residents were determined to rebuild but couldn't get materials they needed. #TTownPBS
35 blocks of Black Tulsa was burned. Residents were determined to rebuild but couldn't get materials they needed. #TTownPBS
The winter of 1921 included hundreds of tents as Black residents struggled to rebuild. People were left without gas or ability to cook. And yet, it was described in 1925 as a town with grit! One that could come back. #TTownPBS
Sadly, the attitudes of white residents didn't change. Black residents recall going downtown but unable to even buy a hat or be waited on. Their business wasn't welcome. #TTownPBS
Despite the indignities of segregated life, the Black community in Tulsa continued to rebuild. There were parades which brought out people. The majorettes were quite popular! #TTownPBS
