Tulsa Race Riot Research Paper

The deadliest race riot in the United States occurred between May 30 and June 1, 1921. The city of Tulsa grew from 10,000 to 100,000 in just 11 years (3.) Down town Tulsa offered all white residents anything from furniture stores to speakeasies (3.) Segregation forced African Americans to create their own community. This community was known as Greenwood or "The Black Wall Street" (2.) Greenwood was the most prosperous African American community, they had everything down town did, even a hospital (3.) However, over a 24 hour period a total of 300 people were dead, 35 five blocks of Greenwood burned, and thousands of blacks were homeless (1and3.) The violent actions of this time were all due to the allegation made against a black male causing him to be imprisoned (3.) Segregation is the leading cause of the

From beginning to end the results of the riot were devastating.

In June, 1921 everything went down hill for the large black community of Greenwood. Late in the month of May, an African American man was arrested and charged with the accusation of sexual assault on a young white elevator operator (3.) All charges against Rowland were dropped by the lady he supposedly attacked (3.) Though the charges were eventually dropped this occurrence stuck in all the white minds in town. This is the leading event to the Tulsa race riot. "An article presenting the idea of lynching, read 'To lynch Negro Tonight'" (3.) The whites were enrages, and with the articles help the idea of "punishing" the blacks formed in their minds. Both blacks and white mobs began to gather at the jail Rowland was being held at (3.) Rumors began to circulate that people from either side were coming armed (3.) "An incident occurred where a white man demanded that one of the black World War One veterans hand over his gun" (3.) The two men began to fight over the gun.