Tulsa riot

Tulsa riot, also known as the Tulsa massacre, was a devastating event that occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma, involving the African American community, the National Guard (United States), and the Tulsa Police Department. The riot was sparked by the arrest of Dick Rowland, a young African American man, and the subsequent events led to one of the worst incidents of racial violence in United States history, with connections to the Red Summer of 1919 and the East St. Louis riots. The Tulsa Chamber of Commerce and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) played significant roles in the aftermath, along with figures like W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. The event drew comparisons to other incidents, such as the Atlanta riot of 1906 and the Springfield race riot of 1908, highlighting the need for Civil Rights Act of 1875 enforcement and Voting Rights Act of 1965 protections.

● Introduction

The Tulsa riot was a pivotal moment in American history, marked by extreme violence and destruction, with links to the Ku Klux Klan and the Black Wall Street community. The event involved prominent figures, including A. J. Smitherman, editor of the Tulsa Star, and O.W. Gurley, a wealthy African American businessman, who had connections to the National Negro Business League and the Tulsa County Courthouse. The riot led to significant changes in the Tulsa, Oklahoma community, with efforts by the Tulsa City Council and the Oklahoma State Legislature to address the aftermath, including the establishment of the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum. The event also drew attention from national figures, such as President Warren G. Harding and Attorney General Harry Daugherty, who were involved in the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention.

● Background

The Tulsa riot was preceded by a period of tension and violence in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with connections to the World War I era and the Great Migration (African American). The city's African American community had experienced significant growth and prosperity, with the establishment of Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Star newspaper, which was supported by the National Association of Negro Journalists and the African Methodist Episcopal Church. However, this growth was accompanied by increasing racial tensions, fueled by the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups, such as the White League and the Red Shirts (United States). The Tulsa Police Department and the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office were criticized for their handling of the situation, with allegations of corruption and racism, leading to calls for reform from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Urban League.

● The Riot

The Tulsa riot began on May 31, 1921, with the arrest of Dick Rowland, a young African American man, who was accused of assaulting a white woman, Sarah Page, in a Drexel Building elevator, leading to a response from the Tulsa Police Department and the Tulsa County Courthouse. The event sparked a wave of violence, as white mobs attacked the African American community, with connections to the Oklahoma National Guard and the United States Army. The riot resulted in the deaths of an estimated 100 to 300 people, mostly African American men, women, and children, and the destruction of over 1,000 homes and businesses, including the Tulsa Star newspaper and the Mount Zion Baptist Church. The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army provided aid to the victims, while the National Guard (United States) and the United States Army were deployed to restore order, with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Department of Justice.

● Aftermath

The aftermath of the Tulsa riot was marked by a significant effort to rebuild and recover, with support from the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The Tulsa City Council and the Oklahoma State Legislature passed laws to address the issues that led to the riot, including the establishment of the Tulsa Human Rights Commission and the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), led by J. Edgar Hoover, investigated the riot, but no one was ever charged or convicted in connection with the violence, leading to criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Urban League. The event also led to a renewed focus on Civil Rights Movement issues, with figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks drawing inspiration from the Tulsa riot and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

● Legacy

The Tulsa riot has had a lasting impact on the Tulsa, Oklahoma community, with efforts to preserve the history of the event, including the establishment of the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum and the John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park. The Tulsa City Council and the Oklahoma State Legislature have passed resolutions acknowledging the riot and its impact, with support from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The event has also been recognized nationally, with the United States Congress passing a resolution in 2007 acknowledging the riot and its significance, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture featuring an exhibit on the Tulsa riot and its connection to the Civil Rights Movement.

● Historical Impact

The Tulsa riot has been recognized as one of the worst incidents of racial violence in United States history, with connections to the Red Summer of 1919 and the East St. Louis riots. The event has been studied by historians, including John Hope Franklin and Tim Madigan, who have written extensively on the riot and its impact, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Ford Foundation. The Tulsa riot has also been the subject of numerous books, films, and documentaries, including the Tulsa Riot (documentary) and the Riot (film), which have helped to raise awareness about the event and its significance, with connections to the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Lives Matter movement. The event has also been recognized by the United Nations and the European Union, highlighting the need for continued efforts to address racial violence and discrimination, with support from the International Association of Democratic Lawyers and the American Bar Association. Category:Racially motivated violence in the United States