02/10/2025
This is BLACK WALL STREET. Located in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma. This was one of the most prosperous Black communities in the United States in the early 20th century.
Founded in the early 1900s by Black entrepreneurs and landowners, Greenwood thrived due to segregation laws that kept Black wealth circulating within the community. It had businesses, banks, hotels, theaters, restaurants, and even its own hospital. By the 1920s, Greenwood was home to more than 10,000 Black residents and over 600 successful Black-owned businesses, earning it the nickname "Black Wall Street."
Unfortunately, on May 31 and June 1, 1921, a white mob attacked Greenwood, destroying businesses, homes and killing an estimated 100 to 300 people. This was known as the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. The attack was largely ignored in history books for decades, and survivors were denied compensation for their losses. Despite the devastation, some survivors and their descendants worked to rebuild parts of Greenwood. However, due to systemic racism, urban renewal projects, and economic decline hindered its long-term recovery.
