Woke
Out of context: Reply #61
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- imbecile5
"Black Wall Street" is often used to refer to the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was one of the wealthiest African-American communities in the United States during the early 20th century.
Founded in 1906, Greenwood became a prosperous center for African American businesses, partly due to segregation which necessitated the creation of self-sustaining black communities. Greenwood's residents established successful businesses that included grocery stores, clothing stores, barber shops, hotels, and restaurants. The area was named "Black Wall Street" because of its economic success.
However, on May 31 and June 1, 1921, Greenwood was the site of one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history, now known as the Tulsa Race Massacre. Accusations that a black man had assaulted a white woman led to racial tensions which escalated into a full-blown attack on Greenwood by a white mob. Armed mobs, including some local authorities, burned down 35 city blocks, and an estimated 100 to 300 people were killed, most of them African American.
In addition to the human cost, the massacre caused extensive property damage, and the district of Greenwood was essentially destroyed. Despite the destruction, Greenwood's residents - many of whom had been rendered homeless by the attack - displayed remarkable resilience. They managed to rebuild much of the district in the years that followed, but the community never fully recovered its previous prosperity.
For a long time, the massacre was not widely known or discussed. However, in recent years there has been a push to acknowledge this dark chapter in American history and its impact on Black communities. The event has been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and even dramatic works like the HBO series "Watchmen" and "Lovecraft Country". The 100th anniversary of the massacre in 2021 prompted even greater awareness and reflection on the event.