Greenwood Rising
I believe that without facing our history, both as individuals and as a community, we are bound to repeat it. Sometimes, repetition is good; other times, it heaps hurt upon hurt.
Wherever I go, I like to learn of the history of the place and the people. Recently, when I visited Tulsa, Oklahoma, I was surprised to learn of an area called Greenwood. At one time, this area was know as Black Wall Street - an area of predominantly wealthy African Americans who had worked hard to rise above hatred and poverty.
At that time, the streets were lined with shops and restaurants, and children’s joyful laughter filled the air. Today, a little over 100 years after an event that changed the landscape of the geographical area and the people who lived there, Greenwood is rising again.
That event is known as The 1921 Tulsa Massacre. According to the story I heard while visiting, the horrible night of May 31 began as a result of longstanding resentment and fear. A young black man had been accused by a young white woman of touching her inappropriately. She later recanted her story, but the damage was done. In these kinds of situations, it only takes a flicker to ignite a fire when it’s fueled by deep anger.
That night, and early into the next morning, a white mob, with the help of local authorities, attacked Greenwood, resulting in the death of reportedly more than 300 Black people, 12 White people, the displacement of over 10,000 Black people, and the destruction of 36 city blocks. The Oklahoma National Guard intervened, rather than helping, they began arresting Black survivors. No one was ever held accountable for the devastation, and for years, every attempt at reconstruction was blocked.
Sitting on a downtown corner is the exhibit “Greenwood Rising”. I encourage you to schedule a tour. The unbiased approach of telling the whole story, of showing how trauma is passed down through the ages, of the desire to grow in love and unity, is evident in every room.
After years of being discouraged from speaking about the Massacre because of fear of repercussion, the stories of the remaining three survivors can be heard. It broke my heart to hear an elderly woman speak about hearing her father beg and seeing bullets flying through the air, striking people as they ran. I’ve never experienced that kind of fear, and hopefully I never will, but my lack of experience doesn’t negate the facts.
At the end of the tour, visitors are asked to make a personal commitment toward racial reconciliation. I will continue my commitment of teaching my children and grandchildren to love past the limits of race, gender, religion or social-economic differences. I will continue looking at pain in the face of others, and attempting to understand or at least empathize, rather than turning away and matching anger for anger. What will your commitment be?
If you would like to know more about Greenwood, visit www.greenwoodrising.org.
Written by Amanda Leigh Duncan; March 26, 2022. Read more of my work on Wood County Now and follow me on Facebook and Instagram.
