Centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre

Centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre
Name	Centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre
Date	2021
Location	Tulsa, Oklahoma
Type	Commemoration
Participants	Local community groups, survivors' descendants, municipal officials

Centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre was a yearlong series of commemorations marking one hundred years since the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, centering on the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma and involving a wide array of survivors' descendants, civic organizations, cultural institutions, and governmental bodies. The centennial generated national and international attention through collaborations among museums, universities, religious institutions, and media organizations, prompting renewed debates about reparations, historical memory, and urban redevelopment.

Background: Greenwood District and the 1921 Massacre

The Greenwood District was a prosperous Black neighborhood often called "Black Wall Street" in Tulsa, Oklahoma, noted for businesses such as the Williams Dreamland Theatre, the Greenwood Cultural Center, and proprietors like O.W. Gurley, J.B. Stradford, and A.D. Rice. During the Tulsa Race Massacre of May 31–June 1, 1921, white mobs attacked Greenwood, destroying churches including Mount Zion Baptist Church, businesses listed in periodicals such as the Tulsa Tribune, and institutions tied to Black civic life like the NAACP chapters and fraternal orders. Investigations and historical studies by scholars associated with University of Oklahoma, Tulsa Historical Society & Museum, and the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 documented mass displacement, property loss, and contested death tolls, feeding later legal actions such as suits involving the City of Tulsa and descendants seeking reparations.

Centennial Commemoration Planning and Organizations

Planning for the centennial involved municipal leadership including the Office of the Mayor of Tulsa, nonprofit entities like the Greenwood Cultural Center, academic partners such as Tulsa Community College and the University of Tulsa, and advocacy groups including the NAACP and local chapters of Black Lives Matter. The Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission coordinated logistics with cultural institutions like the Philbrook Museum of Art, the Gilcrease Museum, and performing arts venues tied to the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra and Brady Arts District. Philanthropic support came from foundations including the George Kaiser Family Foundation and corporate partners linked to firms headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, while federal engagement involved agencies like the National Park Service and national legislators such as members of the United States Congress.

Events and Programs Held in 2021

The centennial calendar featured ceremonies at the Greenwood Rising History Center, interfaith services at churches including First Baptist Church, academic conferences hosted by the University of Tulsa, oral-history projects with the Smithsonian Institution, and public art commissions installed in the Tulsa Arts District. Major events included memorial services attended by elected officials from the Office of the Governor of Oklahoma and delegations from the United States Department of Justice, cultural exhibitions curated by the Center for Public History and the Oklahoma Historical Society, film screenings tied to works like documentaries produced by PBS and the History Channel, and musical tributes featuring ensembles connected to the Opera Oklahoma and jazz artists related to the Tulsa Jazz Festival. Educational programming extended to K–12 partnerships with the Tulsa Public Schools and curriculum initiatives promoted by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

Public Memory, Education, and Media Coverage

Media organizations including The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, CNN, and local outlets such as the Tulsa World and The Oklahoman provided sustained coverage, amplifying scholarship from historians affiliated with Tulsa Historical Society & Museum and oral historians collaborating with the Library of Congress. Museums like the Greenwood Cultural Center and exhibits at the Philbrook Museum of Art used artifacts and testimonies to frame narratives that intersected with discussions in journals such as the Journal of American History and platforms including the Smithsonian Magazine. Educational outreach leveraged partnerships with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, digital archives maintained by the Oklahoma Historical Society, and pedagogical resources promoted by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Governmental Responses and Policy Outcomes

State and municipal actions during the centennial involved the Governor of Oklahoma's office, the City of Tulsa administration, and congressional representatives who discussed policy measures including land-use planning in Greenwood, historic preservation grants via the National Park Service, and legislative proposals in the Oklahoma Legislature and United States Congress addressing reparations, economic development, and social services. Local governance outcomes included zoning reviews by the Tulsa Planning Commission, investments guided by the Greenwood Rising History Center board, and municipal initiatives to erect markers coordinated with the Oklahoma Historical Society and the National Register of Historic Places.

Controversies and Criticisms Surrounding the Centennial

Controversies during the centennial involved debates among descendants, advocacy organizations like the NAACP and Black Lives Matter, and scholars from institutions such as the University of Oklahoma over priorities including reparations, land restitution, and the role of commercial development led by private entities and developers with ties to the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce. Critics cited tensions with municipal leaders in the Office of the Mayor of Tulsa and questioned the involvement of corporate sponsors and philanthropic actors like the George Kaiser Family Foundation in shaping commemorative narratives, while legal disputes referenced prior actions involving the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 and pending litigation in Oklahoma courts.

Category:Tulsa Race Massacre Category:Centennial observances