“All the odds were against us, and we survived anyway,” said James O. Goodwin, publisher of the Oklahoma Eagle, after the massacre. Yet this second renaissance would, too, meet its own calamity.
TULSA, Okla.—After all the destruction and loss of life, what survived the 1921 attack in the Greenwood district proved the most valuable and enduring in the neighborhood’s midcentury recovery: the ambition of Black entrepreneurs and landowners.
P.S. Thompson’s drugstore was among the many businesses destroyed during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.The story of Black property ownership in Oklahoma began well before the 1921 massacre. Many of the territory’s early Black residents were descendants of those formerly enslaved by Native Americans who had been pushed west by the U.S. government in the 19th century, according to Larry O’Dell, director of development and special projects at the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Edward Goodwin Sr., left, and his father, James Henri Goodwin. Survivors of the 1921 massacre, both had an entrepreneurial drive and managed several different businesses in Greenwood.Restrictive real-estate covenants limited the mobility of Black residents and property owners beyond Greenwood’s boundaries. Private-lending practices, common across the U.S.
The Tulsa Massacre of 1921 destroyed hundreds of Black-owned businesses and homes in the city’s Greenwood District. A century later, entrepreneurs and activists are working to preserve “Black Wall Street’s” memory while pushing to rebuild and recover what was lost. Photo: Rob Alcaraz/The Wall Street Journal
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
IndyCar courts Black fans, drivers in its push to diversifyMuch like NASCAR dealt with its own racial reckoning last year, IndyCar moved to create a more diverse workforce throughout all levels of a series that has had just two Black drivers race in the Indy 500, its showcase annual event that dates to 1911.
Read more »
How This Unsung Black Entrepreneur Changed The Food Industry Forever—And Made A Lot Of DoughJoseph Lee was one of Boston’s most successful hospitality entrepreneurs when he invented machines that transformed industrial bread-making for the next century.
Read more »
Sarah Ferguson rocks a black miniskirt and emerald green blazer for important announcementSarah Ferguson had a very important message to share and looked fabulous while doing it – see her Instagram photo
Read more »