The Law Center showed a documentary of the Tulsa Race Riot called 'Before They Die'. It gave a historical account of the riots and what is being done about them today.
The Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 is an event not known by many. Even those who live in present Tulsa do not fully recognize the impact that this riot had on the Greenwood community that it took place in. The riot took place on June 1st 1921. There were 300 people killed and 10,000 displaced. The riot was said to be started because of an event that happened on May 31, 1921. A black shoe shine boy was attempting to get on an elevator and tripped onto an elevator operator, who screamed. The elevator operator happened to be a white 17 year old. After the scream was heard, there was no questions asked. The white people who heard the scream assumed that the shoe shine boy had attacked her. The word got around Tulsa and the white people were going to hang the black boy. Several black World War II Veteran's went down to try and prevent the hanging. White men at the door were said to meet them at the door and as a result a fight broke out. That night and the morning of June 21st would change the Greenwood community forever.
The area impacted by the Tulsa race Riot has come to known as the Black Wall Street. During this time in Tulsa the black community in Greenwood was thriving. They had their own businesses. Everyone from the community doctor to the grocery store owner were all black. They had everything such as a bus systems to cab routes. Some say that it was not a reason for people of the community to leave because everything that they needed was in Greenwood. On June 21st the Greenwood that they had grown to love would change forever.
The night of May 31st and day June 1st 1921 white mobs stormed the Greenwood community. They were said to go to all of the houses and take all the men out of the houses. Some were shot and killed on site. People were said to use machine guns and airplanes to shoot most of the black people in the community. If the black men were not killed they were marched down to Convention Hall in Tulsa. Many were detained there for several days before they were allowed to leave. After most of the black men were out of their homes, the white people went back into the community and burned most of the houses. Many people fled to get out harms way. Only women and children were left in most of there houses to fend for themselves. Over 300 square blocks were burnt to the ground.
Many blacks after the riot were very silent on the matter. It was there view that they had caused a riot. Many people who grew up in Tulsa were not told about what happened in Tulsa in 1921. It was not until 2001 when a Commission was released to actually draw more attention to the adversity that the community.
http://www.tulsahistory.org/learn/riot.htm
