Festivities for the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre 1921 are still unfolding all around the city. Some of the events I’ve attended are virtual while others are in person which has been a wonderful experience after emerging from a year of quarantine.
I went to the dedication of the new museum, Greenwood Rising, which is located in the historic Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma and cost $18.5 million to construct with help from corporate sponsors and private donors. All of this was organized by the Tulsa Race Massacre 1921 Centennial Commission, chaired by Senator Kevin Matthews and staffed by several African Americans and descendants. Far too often, the events of 1921 are used as a diversity marketing tool for organizations only concerned with image while actual descendants or African Americans are not included or involved. At the dedication ceremony, descendants of the massacre were honored and recognized which I greatly appreciate as a descendant myself via my grandfather’s survival. The museum was innovative, yet empathetic and warm. I hope to visit often and become more involved. All photos by me, unless otherwise stated.
