Centennial of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

Centennial of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

On the 31st of May 1921, fears about the possible lynching of a young African-American man wrongly accused of raping a young lady sparked unprecedented racial violence in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma. That violence further sparked rioting, shootings, and even an organized attack on what was the wealthiest African-American community in the nation, known as Black Wall Street. As Tulsans prepared to commemorate the centennial of the violence, most Americans had never heard of the worst racial violence in American history. Still, a growing group are seeking the truth about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and accounts of hundreds of missing dead and mass graves.

I was asked to travel to Tulsa to support a group, Project-21, called in to verify accounts of mass atrocities and uncover the truth about the presence of mass graves in and near the city dating back 100 years. The following images provide a visual account of the centennial events that took place, as well as the beginnings of site excavation work at the Oaklawn Cemetery. Project-21 is just beginning its work. I'm looking forward to contributing more to this effort.