In the neighborhood of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, also known as Black Wall Street, Black entrepreneurship and the local economy once thrived. But in May 1921, an inhumane act demolished the community in the blink of an eye. It was reduced to rubble by white mobs after a wave of racial violence, and estimates say that mobs killed 300 people and injured 800 more. The event went down in history as the Tulsa Race Massacre. Truth seekers understand that as a society built on systemic racism and inequality, we’ve failed to give this event and the survivors the honor and amends they deserve. And this month, the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the highest court in that state, refused to recognize the truth.
In 2020, the remaining three survivors of the Tulsa Massacre filed a lawsuit against the city of Tulsa seeking recognition for the damages and trauma they’ve had to live with for over 100 years, drawing attention to this forgotten part of history. The case for equality was opened again, as was the opportunity for amends. Not only did the lawsuit gain media traction nationally—it also got my attention.
