History Greenwood, Tulsa

1 history

1.1 roots
1.2 black wall street
1.3 o.w. gurley
1.4 tulsa race massacre
1.5 improvements

history
roots

many black americans moved oklahoma in years before , after 1907, year oklahoma became state. oklahoma represented change , provided chance black americans away slavery , harsh racism of previous homes. of them traveled other states, , oklahoma offered hope , provided people chance start over. traveled oklahoma wagons, horses, trains, , on foot.

many of black americans traveled oklahoma had ancestors traced oklahoma. many of settlers relatives of black americans had traveled on foot 5 civilized tribes along trail of tears. others descendants of people had fled indian territory. many black residents various muskogee speaking peoples, such creeks, seminoles, , yuchi, while had been adopted tribe after emancipation proclamation. able live freely in oklahoma territory.

when tulsa became booming , rather noted town in united states, many people considered tulsa 2 separate cities rather 1 city of united communities. white residents of tulsa referred area north of frisco railroad tracks little africa . community later acquired name greenwood , 1921 home 10,000 black residents.

greenwood centered on street known greenwood avenue. street important because ran north on mile frisco railroad yards, , 1 of few streets did not cross through both black , white neighborhoods. citizens of greenwood took pride in fact because had , did not have share white community of tulsa. greenwood avenue home black american commercial district many red brick buildings. these buildings belonged black americans , thriving businesses, including grocery stores, banks, libraries, , more. greenwood 1 of affluent communities , became known black wall street.

black wall street

during oil boom of 1910s, area of northeast oklahoma around tulsa flourished, including greenwood neighborhood, came known negro wall street (now commonly referred black wall street ). area home several prominent black businessmen. greenwood boasted variety of thriving businesses successful until tulsa race riot. not did black americans want contribute success of own shops, there racial segregation laws prevented them shopping anywhere other greenwood. following riots, area rebuilt , thrived until 1960s when desegregation allowed blacks shop in areas restricted.

detroit avenue, along edge of standpipe hill, contained number of expensive houses belonging doctors, lawyers , business owners. buildings on greenwood avenue housed offices of of tulsa s black lawyers, realtors, doctors, , other professionals. in tulsa @ time of riot, there fifteen well-known black american physicians, 1 of whom, dr. a.c. jackson, considered able negro surgeon in america 1 of mayo brothers. dr. jackson shot death left house during unrest. greenwood published 2 newspapers, tulsa star , oklahoma sun, covered not tulsa, state , national news , elections. buildings housed newspapers destroyed during destruction of greenwood.

greenwood religiously active community. @ time of racial violence there more dozen black american churches , many christian youth organizations , religious societies.

in northeastern oklahoma, elsewhere in america, prosperity of minorities emerged amidst racial , political tension. ku klux klan made first major appearance in oklahoma shortly before 1 of worst race riots in history. estimated there 3,200 members of klan in tulsa in 1921.

o.w. gurley

around start of 20th century o.w. gurley, wealthy black land-owner arkansas, traversed united states participate in oklahoma land run of 1889. young entrepreneur had resigned presidential appointment under president grover cleveland in order strike out on own.

in 1906, gurley moved tulsa, oklahoma purchased 40 acres of land sold colored . black ownership unheard of @ time.

among gurley s first businesses rooming house located on dusty trail near railroad tracks. road given name greenwood avenue, named city in mississippi. area became popular among black migrants fleeing oppression in mississippi. find refuge in gurley s building, racial persecution south non-existent on greenwood avenue.

in addition rooming house, gurley built 3 two-story buildings , 5 residences , bought 80-acre (32 ha) farm in rogers county. gurley founded today vernon ame church.

this implementation of colored segregation set greenwood boundaries of separateness exist day: pine street north, archer street , frisco tracks south, cincinnati street on west, , lansing street on east. segregation pronounced in subtle landmarks. south of archer, greenwood avenue not exist in white neighborhoods.

another black american entrepreneur, j.b. stradford, arrived in tulsa in 1899. believed black people had better chance of economic progress if pooled resources, worked , supported each other s businesses. bought large tracts of real estate in northeastern part of tulsa, had subdivided , sold exclusively other blacks. gurley , number of other blacks followed suit. stradford later built stradford hotel on greenwood, blacks enjoy amenities of downtown hotels served whites. said largest black-owned hotel in united states.

gurley s prominence , wealth short lived. in matter of moments, lost everything. during race riot, gurley hotel @ 112 n. greenwood, street’s first commercial enterprise, valued @ $55,000, lost, , brunswick billiard parlor , dock eastmand & hughes cafe. gurley owned two-story building @ 119 n. greenwood. housed carter’s barbershop, hardy rooms, pool hall, , cigar store. reduced ruins. account , court records, lost $200,000 in 1921 race riot.

because of leadership role in creating self-sustaining exclusive black enclave , had been falsely rumored gurley lynched white mob , buried in unmarked grave. however, according memoirs of greenwood pioneer, b.c. franklin, gurley exiled himself california. founder of successful black community of time vanished history books , drifted obscurity. being honored in 2008 documentary film called, before die! road reparations 1921 tulsa race riot survivors.

tulsa race massacre

black wall street in flames, june 1, 1921

the tulsa race massacre occurred in late may 31 , june 1, 1921. on day of massacre, 35 square blocks of homes , businesses torched mobs of angry whites. ransacking began because of alleged assault of white elevator operator, 17-year-old sarah page, black shoeshiner, 19-year-old dick rowland. attack killed hundreds , left estimated 10,000 people homeless. city of tulsa conspired mob, arresting more 6,000 black residents , refusing provide assistance. law enforcement dropped firebombs on buildings, homes, , fleeing families, stating protecting against negro uprising. massacre omitted state , local records, , mentioned in history books, classrooms, or in private.

the community mobilized resources , rebuilt greenwood area within 5 years of tulsa race massacre in spite of political efforts prevent reconstruction, , neighborhood hotbed of jazz , blues in 1920s. however, neighborhood fell prey economic , population drain in 1960s, , of area leveled during urban renewal in 1970s make way highway loop around downtown district. several blocks around intersection of greenwood avenue , archer street saved demolition , have been restored, forming part of greenwood historical district.

improvements

revitalization , preservation efforts in 1990s , 2000s resulted in tourism initiatives , memorials. john hope franklin greenwood reconciliation park , greenwood cultural center honor victims of tulsa race riot, although greenwood chamber of commerce plans larger museum built participation national park service.

in 2008, tulsa announced sought move city s minor league baseball team, tulsa drillers, new stadium, known oneok field constructed in greenwood district. proposed development includes hotel, baseball stadium, , expanded mixed-use district. along new stadium, there development city blocks surround stadium. project bring greenwood historical district out front , center , attract not tourists tulsa residents north tulsa.