The documentary The Night Tulsa Burned by the Weller/Grossman production takes its viewers back a hundred years and recounts the events that sparked the notorious racial riot (Grossman). It happened on June 1, 1921, and resulted in the destruction of one of America’s wealthiest and most successful middle-class black communities called the Greenwood. This award-winning documentary aims at uncovering an event that was little known by people.
Though this was the biggest riot people have ever seen in the U.S., and it was not discussed in the history books. During the night of the murder, “all of the Greenwood’s achievements and successes were destroyed” (Grossman 00:00:40-00:00:43). According to the documentary, for more than 11,000 black residents, the Greenwood section was the nationally recognized center of African-American life.
That community had everything one would normally need, including hotels, hospitals, hairdressers, laundries, and shops, all of which were destroyed in less than twenty-four hours by white Tulsans. On May 31, 1921, most African Americans were murdered, and others were left homeless. According to Grossman, “the devastation of this community means much more than a destruction of its buildings” (00:03:10-00:03:17). It was increasingly unexpected that such a horrible event took place in Oklahoma as it has always been a promised land for black people.
With the discovery of oil in 1905, Tulsa became successful, and there were benefits for both white and black citizens. Nevertheless, due to the segregation process, African Americans could not live or shop in the town and were only allowed to work there. That is why several young black entrepreneurs decided to create a business district, and Greenwood started flourishing. Tulsa became divided into two cities: “the black northern and the white southern,” and the Greenwood managed to grow thanks to the segregation (Grossman 00:12:40-00:12:43). At the same time, Tulsa was still dominated by white citizens.
The red summer of 1919 is known for several riots occurring in Minnesota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and other states. Then, “in 1921, the fires of racial intolerance spread to Tulsa,” and Dick Rowland, a nineteen-year-old African American, is considered its spark (Grossman 00:15:44-00:15:50). On May 30, he probably assaulted Sarah Page, a seventeen-year-old elevator operator, but no one knows for sure what happened on that day. On May 31, Rowland was arrested, and the whole town got out of control. An article accusing him of rape made white Tulsans gather in a huge crowd in front of the courthouse, and the armed members of the Greenwood community offered the sheriff their help. After two persons got into a small fight, a deadly riot began. During the night, the whites’ groups were attacking the blacks from the Greenwood, and there was not much they could do to protect themselves.
Police officers started arresting African Americans, and on the morning of June 1, most of them were in detention centers. About seventeen hours after the gatherings in front of the courthouse, “the national guard takes control of the city and puts an end to the violence” (Grossman 00:26:05-00:26:10). Those blacks who survived the riot left the town, and most whites were simply sent home.
The number of African Americans murdered remains uncertain, as well as the fact that airplanes were used to drop bombs during the riot. After the riot, many white employers asked for the release of the blacks from the detention centers. However, “to gain their freedom, African Americans must wear specially issued tags” (Grossman 00:31:17-00:31:22). A long and challenging reconstruction of the community began. Then, after years of attempts, it became possible to eliminate the conspiracy of silence and honor the memory of the riot victims.
In this documentary, the words used and the photos showed increased the effect the riot itself may have on modern persons. It is so scary and disappointing for me to hear that such events took place only a hundred years ago. Although I am aware of the tragic history of racism in America, this documentary made me rather emotional, and now, even more than ever before, I want racial discrimination to end once and for all.
Reference
“The Night Tulsa Burned – Black Wall Street 1921 – Weller Grossman Productions.”Vimeo. 2020. Web.