Never Forget - Nazarene Cultural Expressions

Never Forget

Written by Dianna Lynn Potter

September 23 2011

Dianna-TF Memorial Day 2011, an article on the Tulsa Race Riots in the Tulsa World grabbed my attention.¹

Oklahoma was one of the places Indians settled after the Trail of Tears. The American Indians were marched through all kinds of weather from the East Coast to Oklahoma. Over 4000 lost their lives on this march. ^2-5 Then settlers started moving in and eventually oil was discovered.⁶ There was an influx of Blacks into Oklahoma and many settled in East Tulsa in an area called the “Greenwood Section.” The people in that area became extremely prosperous and Black businesses boomed. The area was known as “Black Wall Street.” ⁷

On May 30, 1921, 90 years ago this Memorial Day, an incident set into motion a race riot, which scarred the history of Tulsa. A Black man named Dick Rowland came in some physical contact with a White woman in an elevator. There was confusion as to what type of contact was made and eventually he was accused of attacking her; although, later those accusations were rescinded. However, it was too late. He was arrested on May 31, and rumors circulated of a possible lynching. These rumors fueled a racial tension fire that led to an outright attack on the Greenwood section of Tulsa. This attack led to the killing of dozens to possibly hundreds of people (some sources cite rumors bodies were trucked somewhere and dumped, possibly the river): the destruction of Black Wall Street, churches and over 1100 homes.

The attackers were said to include those who were supposed to protect citizens. There was some resistance, but nothing could withstand the force of over 1000 who attacked the Greenwood section.⁸ I read atrocious stories of people surrendering and running away being shot. Others were shot in their door ways.⁹During and after the riot, the National Guard and other officials gathered up the Blacks “for their protection.” Whites from West Tulsa looted the burned out and abandoned businesses and homes. Offers for assistance to Tulsa poured in from all over the country. It was refused by those in authority saying that since Tulsans destroyed, Tulsans would rebuild. But the government of Tulsa never offered assistance to rebuild.¹⁰ If anything, they tried to make it harder. Building codes were rewritten demanding fireproof materials in the rebuilding, which were cost prohibitive.¹¹ The codes were eventually overturned. ¹²

Today, an Oklahoma State University Campus and Langston University sit on most of what was formerly the Greenwood section; the business district is now one block, and a freeway overpass cuts it in half. A brand new minor league ball bark has been built behind the remaining buildings on former Greenwood business section property. Most of the buildings, which played a part in the riots are gone, in both the Greenwood section and Tulsa itself. ⁸ It’s as if the state, city, and businesses have done whatever they can to erase the history of this atrocity.

Why do I write about this? In the comments section of the May 29, 2011 article there were complaints about the article. The negative comments communicated we do not need to remember or be reminded of this incident.¹ As I reflected on these comments, I thought how odd on a weekend we remember fallen heroes of war that people should say we should put the past behind us. What would happen if this country decided to no longer observe the Fourth of July (our declaring Independence from Britain who we accused of being unfair), Pearl Harbor, VJ Day, VD Day, or the anniversaries of the Oklahoma City Bombing, both World Trade Center terrorist attacks and the attack on the Pentagon?

Why is it when we are called to remember contributions by ethnic groups, people complain there is not a “White History Month?” We forget the majority population has written the history books of the country for over a century and made sure White contributions were recognized. Why is it we want to remember the attacks upon the majority population and the country as a whole but not the attacks on minority populations and the atrocities we have committed in the name of Manifest Destiny? Why don’t we want to remember the atrocities of slavery, racism on the part of the White community? It has been known that we learn from our mistakes. If we bury them how can we learn from them?

Today in America and around the world, slavery is alive and well. It occurs in factories, nail salons, massage parlors, hotel rooms, apartments, truck cabs, homes of the rich and in many other places. Men, women, and children are trafficked in and out of our country for sex and slave labor.

Today in America, racism still breathes hatred into the minds and hearts of people. The only way to stop is to love your neighbor as yourself, whoever that neighbor maybe. If we want the atrocities we hold important to be remembered, we must be willing to remember the atrocities against others as well. Loving one’s neighbor as yourself also means asking why this remembrance is important to your neighbor. What impact did this event have on my neighbor? Is my neighbor still suffering the consequences of this event? Is there something I can do to help my neighbor? Loving one’s neighbor is not just about accepting their desire to remember an event, it’s also about being proactive to relieve your neighbors’ suffering, if it exists through personal interaction, political and/or community activities.

I encourage anyone living in Tulsa, Oklahoma or visiting Tulsa to visit the Greenwood Cultural Center on the north side of what was the Greenwood Business District. There is a link below to the Tulsa World article, but there is much more of a story told at this website.

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