Greenwood Rising Black Wall St. History Center

Greenwood Rising tells the story of Greenwood and its community by giving voice to the events that took place on the site of Black Wall Street.

The TulsaRace Massacre, previously known as the Tulsa Race Riot, was a massacre that took place in the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa between May 30 and June¹, 1921. An uncontrolled mob of white Americans attacked the African-American community in an unprecedented outburst of violence. Although the official death toll at the time was 45 (36 African Americans and 9 whites), the final report of the commission of inquiry in 2001 indicated between 100 and 300 victims. The Red Cross refused to give an official death toll. Because of the fires caused by the rioters, these events also left 8,000 people homeless.

The opening of the center in 2021 was an important moment for a city that for decades failed to acknowledge the dark legacy of the massacre and the forces of systemic racism that shaped Tulsa as it rose from the ashes. Until 2019, the state of Oklahoma did not include the massacre as part of the public school curriculum. "It's time for us to stop sweeping this under the rug," Phil Armstrong, head of the Tulsa Massacre Commission, which oversaw the museum project, said at the dedication. Adding, "Let's honor the memory of those who lost their lives and the survivors."