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Tulsa Race Massacre 1921 (1 Viewer)

SHIZNITTTT

Footballguy
Today is the anniversary of the beginning of the #TulsaRaceMassacre of 1921. Some have rightfully referred to this as the single worst incident of racial violence in American history, but also one most don't know much or anything about. The incident began, as most did at the time, after a young white woman accused a black man of assaulting her in an elevator. He was arrested, even though many police officers did not think he was guilty, and the 17-year old girl did not press charges. Editorials and articles in the Tulsa newspaper sensationalized the incident, incited violence, and made references to a potential lynching of **** Rowland. That night, 50-60 armed black men arrived at the courthouse to protect Rowland. Seeing this, whites took up arms.After a shot was fired at the courthouse, a white mob responded, and within seconds, 2 black men and 10 whites were dead or dying on the street. As news spread, the white mob grew and targeted the African American Greenwood neighborhood.Joining the riot was the local KKK, who tarred any blacks they encountered. The fighting continued throughout the night and into June 1, when whites set Greenwood ablaze. The fire department, responding to the scene was turned away at gunpoint.On June 1, aircraft, whom the police claimed were merely providing reconnaissance to protect the city from a "Negro uprising," began to fire on black crowds and homes, and even dropped bombs and homemade incendiary devices into the neighborhood. By the time the National Guard arrived, more than 6,000 blacks had been arrested, thousands had fled the city, while the number of dead was disputed. The Tulsa newspaper reported 68 black and 9 white dead in their June 2 edition. The NAACP estimated between 150-200 black dead.  A 2001 commission estimated between 75-300 dead with more than 800 injured. 10,000 black people were left homeless, and property damage amounted to more than $2.25 million, equivalent to more than $32 million today.

 
This wasn't even part of Oklahoma's school curriculum till a few years ago.  Personally, I feel this is America's Kristallnacht.

 
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I never heard of this until yesterday, it was a very interesting and at the same time disturbing read. Apparently that was the most affluent black neighborhood in the country. 

 
This wasn't even part of Oklahoma's school curriculum till a few years ago.  Personally, I feel this is America's Kristallnacht.
I went to college in Oklahoma, took a US history course, and hadn't heard of it until I read Don't Know Much About History.

 
Related: Oklahoma was not very enlightened by 1996.  I'm sure it's better now, but probably still in the bottom quartile of the country for being inclusive.

 
The Elaine Massacre of 1919. A posse of 500-1000 white men killed 100-237 blacks after rumors that blacks were forming an insurrection. The military had to be sent in to regain the peace and stop the posse. 

 
The Philly police bombed a black neighborhood killing 11 people and 5 children in 1985. When a massive fire broke out from the bombing, the city decided to not fight it. It destroyed 61 homes leaving 250 city residents homeless. 
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/10/move-1985-bombing-reconciliation-philadelphia
The loss of life was unconscionable. And the actions of the police that day were miles out of line.

Your summary is somewhat tilted -- it implies that the neighborhood itself was the target and that the expressed intent of the police was to destroy homes. The 1985 Philadelphia incident has much in common with the use of excessive force during 1993 Branch Davidians raid near Waco, Texas . There are, of course, major differences as well -- chiefly (a) the incidental time frame and (b) the location of the MOVE compound in a populated area..

 
The loss of life was unconscionable. And the actions of the police that day were miles out of line.

Your summary is somewhat tilted -- it implies that the neighborhood itself was the target and that the expressed intent of the police was to destroy homes. The 1985 Philadelphia incident has much in common with the use of excessive force during 1993 Branch Davidians raid near Waco, Texas . There are, of course, major differences as well -- chiefly (a) the incidental time frame and (b) the location of the MOVE compound in a populated area..
Sure they didn’t just randomly bomb a locale but I don’t know what else to call it when cops drop explosives from a helicopter onto a home in a neighborhood and it blows up and causes a huge fire that destroys the neighborhood. The police bombed a neighborhood. 

 
Greetings Shizz, 

Friend who grew up there and now lives in OKC was trying to tell me about this today and it was hard to understand but I appreciate you putting this up and sharing with the Forums. I doubt most folks ever knew a thing about this, 1st I had really heard much about it. The way you explain it is pretty straight forward.  

Cheers!

 

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