Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921

Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921
Name
History
Professor
11/24/22
Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 Annotated Bibliography
Albright, Alex, Jeremy Cook, James Feigenbaum, Laura Kincaide, Jason Long, and Nathan Nunn. “After the Burning: The Economic Effects of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.” SSRN Electronic Journal, 2021. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3880218.
In the wake of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, 35 square blocks of a once-vibrant Black neighborhood were looted, set ablaze, and destroyed. Not only did this result in significant financial loss, but the slaughter also served as a message to Black people across the nation that similar incidents may happen in other communities. For Black communities in Tulsa and around the country, we look at the economic repercussions of the killing. According to our research, the massacre caused decreases in house ownership and occupational status for Tulsa’s Black community in the two decades that followed. As we can see, the massacre also resulted in fewer people owning homes outside of Tulsa. The extent to which these consequences were felt depended on whether a community like Tulsa had significant racial segregation levels or had been exposed to more newspaper coverage of the massacre. Examining the impacts beyond 1940, we discover that the direct harm caused by the killings to Black Tulsans’ property ownership, as well as the ripple effects brought on by newspaper coverage, remain and, in fact, grow throughout the second half of the 20th century.
Bracey, Earnest N. “The Tulsa Race Massacre, White Supremacy and the Destruction of Black Wall Street.” World Journal of Education and Humanities 3, no. 2 (March 29, 2021): p36. https://doi.org/10.22158/wjeh.v3n2p36.
The events of 1921 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, may seem inconsequential to some, but the destruction of “Black Wall Street,” or the crown jewel of the Black Greenwood District, was unjustified. After all, at the time, segregation, racial supremacy, and white mob control were the norm. The intelligence of all Americans is insulted by those who have attempted to erase this episode from history or the historical record. But this “cover-up” reflects the oppressive traits of evil white supremacy. According to some, one of the most horrific crimes in American history was the demolition of “Black Wall Street.” The perpetrators of the violence against the Black Greenwood community did not care about the humanity of Black Tulsans. The fact that this crime was in no way honorable means that what happened cannot be explained or justified. Finally, as a country, we must reconcile with this tragedy through atonement and restitution rather than denying what happened or acting as though it never happened or that it is unimportant—especially in these divisive times in our history.
Ellsworth, Scott. Death in a Promised Land: The Tulsa Race Riot of 1921. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1992.
The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, widely regarded as the most extreme instance of white racial violence against African Americans in modern US history, led to the destruction of more than a thousand black-owned businesses and homes and the murder of between fifty and three hundred black residents. The definitive account of the Tulsa race riot and its aftermath, in which much of the history of the devastation and bloodshed was covered up, can be found in Scott Ellsworth’s Death in a Promised Land, which has received a great deal of critical praise. It is a gripping account of racial ideology, southwestern politics, explosive journalism, and the struggle of an oppressed black community to maintain its independence and access to land. This widely praised examination of American race relations is more than just a history of one of the most horrific racial pogroms the country has ever seen; it is also, above all, a suspenseful tale of horror and lawlessness, as well as bravery, courage, and human endurance.
Franklin, Jimmie L., and Tim Madigan. “The Burning: Massacre, Destruction, and the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921.” The Journal of Southern History 70, no. 1 (February 1, 2004): 188. https://doi.org/10.2307/27648376.
In 1921, Tulsa, Oklahoma, experienced one of the deadliest racial riots in the country on the last day of May and the first day of June. White rioters set fire to approximately thirty blocks of the black community in less than two days, causing the loss of scores of black houses, shops, and other institutions. The “Black Wall Street” of the city, noted for its numerous businesses and thriving commercial activity, Greenwood, was among the areas destroyed. Although some students put the death toll above 300, the vast majority being black, historians may never know how many died in this horrific conflict in the so-called “Oil Capital of the World.” Whatever the number, the Tulsa riot is one of those despicable incidents that characterize the appalling state of racial relations in America after World War I. But even before that war broke out, there was a spirit of independence in the black community that firmly opposed the smugness of racial tyranny.
Hill, Karlos K. “Community-Engaged History: A Reflection on the 100th Anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.” The American Historical Review, May 31, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1093/ahr/rhab193.
The Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the bloodiest anti-Black massacres in American history, occurred on May 31 and June 1 of 1921, and it will be 100 years old on those dates in 2021. The AHR joins in remembering that horrible incident with its June edition. The article by University of Oklahoma historian Karlos Hill, titled “Community Engaged History: A Reflection on the 100th Anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre,” is featured on the issue’s cover and is accompanied by images of Tulsa’s Greenwood neighborhood. Hill and AHR editor Alex Lichtenstein discuss community-engaged history in this episode and Hill’s continued support of commemorative and memory-related activities in Tulsa in the run-up to the city’s centennial in 2021.
Hirsch, Arnold, and Scott Ellsworth. “Death in a Promised Land: The Tulsa Race Riot of 1921.” The Journal of Southern History 49, no. 1 (February 1983): 136. https://doi.org/10.2307/2209337.
The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, widely regarded as the most violent instance of white racial violence against African Americans in contemporary US history, led to the destruction of over a thousand black-owned businesses and residences and the murder of between fifty and three hundred black inhabitants. The ultimate narrative of the Tulsa race riot and its aftermath, in which much of the history of the devastation and bloodshed was covered up, may be found in Scott Ellsworth’s Death in a Promised Land. This book has received high praise from critics and extensive study. It is a gripping account of racial ideology, southwestern politics, explosive journalism, and the war for freedom and land by persecuted black people. This widely praised examination of American race relations is more than just a history of one of the country’s worst racial pogroms; it is also a compelling tale of horror and lawlessness, bravery, heroism, and the human capacity for resilience.
Johnson, Hannibal B. “Tulsa, Then and Now: Reflections on the Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.” Great Plains Quarterly 40, no. 3 (2020): 181–85. https://doi.org/10.1353/gpq.2020.0031.
Tulsa fell into insanity in 1921. Some Tulsans took advantage of the weakest members of society. The hours between May 31 and June 1, 1921, were a terrible but instructive case study of the ugly side of human nature. As African American economic achievements, such as home, business, and land ownership, grew, fear and jealousy grew among Tulsa’s white society. Putting those “uppity Negroes” back in their place became a rallying cry for some white Tulsans. Lust for land began to take hold. White corporate and railroad ...