On June 1, 1918, the Stradford Hotel, located at 301 North Greenwood Avenue, opened its doors. J.B. Stradford, Agusta Stradfod and O.W. Gurley made history by running the largest Black-owned and operated hotel in America. The hotel was the apex of the Stradford real estate empire, estimated to be worth $2 million. Three short years later, in 1921, J.B. looked upon a burning pile of rubble that once composed the impressive hotel.
Tragically, thriving businesses, homes and the lives of an estimated 300 Black residents of Greenwood were lost during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Built on decades of hard work and ingenuity, the Greenwood area was a thriving neighborhood full of Black-owned businesses, art, music, churches, neighbors and families. Much was lost—not only brick and mortar, but also the earned knowledge and generational wisdom of countless leaders. The fallout of the Tulsa Race Massacre may never be fully realized. Additionally, Greenwood continues to suffer from redlining policies and the construction of a highway which perpetuated the destruction of the community.
For too long, the atrocities committed against the Black community of North Tulsa have been swept under the rug. This tragic event wasn’t added to Oklahoma history textbooks until 2009. However, the event has garnered international attention in recent years—especially after HBO’s adaptation of Watchmen. As the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Commission is preparing for the centennial of the Massacre, even more eyes have turned towards Tulsa. Since December of 2016, the commission has been meeting with the sole purpose to, “...leverage the rich history surrounding the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by facilitating actions, activities, and events that commemorate and educate all citizens,” according to its website. Plans consist of multiple projects that, “...educate Oklahomans and Americans about the Race Massacre and its impact on the state and Nation; remember its victims and survivors; and create an environment conducive to fostering sustainable entrepreneurship and heritage tourism within the Greenwood District specifically, and North Tulsa generally.”
While the commission oversees many projects, the most significant is the launch of Greenwood Rising, a museum featuring cutting edge technology dedicated to honoring the legacy of Black Wall Street before and after the Tulsa Race Massacre. Another major component of the Centennial Commission is the Greenwood Arts Project (GAP). Artists who are a part of GAP are working together to produce public works of art with the goals of uniting the City of Tulsa and to bring awareness to Greenwood’s history. GAP is led by artists Rick Lowe and William Cordova and project manager Jerica Wortham. The project received a $1,000,000 grant from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge.
Tulsa Race Massacre: 100 Years Later blends historical accounts of the massacre and the art of local creatives to paint a full picture of Greenwood—from the past, present and aspirations of a thriving future. “OETA is in the business of telling stories of importance for all Oklahomans. And, for too long, the story of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre has been concealed,” says Polly Anderson, executive director of OETA. “As Oklahoma’s storyteller, we are driven by our mission—and consider it a great privilege—to make this story known.” Tulsa Race Massacre: 100 Years Later is an hour-long OETA original documentary premiering Monday, May 31, at 7 pm. with an encore at 10 pm. OETA will hold a virtual event to preview the documentary and host a panel discussion. The event will take place Tuesday, May 25 at 7 pm. The event is free, but registration is required and capacity is limited. Registration opens Monday, May 10. To register and find more information, visit OETA.tv/TulsaRaceMassacre.
The program is hosted by author, poet and historian, Quraysh Ali Lansana. Lansana is the author of twenty books in poetry, nonfiction and children’s literature. He is currently a Tulsa Artist Fellow and serves as Acting Director of the Center for Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa, where he is also Writer in Residence for the Center for Poets and Writers and Adjunct Professor in Africana Studies and English. Lansana is creator and executive producer of KOSU/NPR’s Focus: Black Oklahoma monthly radio program. A former faculty member of both the Writing Program of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Drama Division of The Juilliard School, Lansana served as Director of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing at Chicago State University from 2002-2012, and was Associate Professor of English/Creative Writing there until 2014.
Tulsa Race Massacre: 100 Years Later | Preview
Free Community Screenings
As a part of this project, OETA is making the film available to community organizations to hold their own screenings. OETA will begin accepting applications on Wednesday, May 19. Community screenings may take place from Tuesday, June 1 through Wednesday, June 30. Screening partners will receive a digital version of the documentary, promotional posters and access to a promotional toolkit. More details, a complete list of requirements, application and a list of screenings can be found at OETA.tv/TulsaRaceMassacre.
Dates to Remember
Virtual Event: Tuesday, May 25 at 7 pm
Premiere: Monday, May 31 at 7 pm and Encore at 10 pm
Sources
“The Genius of J. B. Stradford: Black Wall Street Entrepreneur,” Frederick Williams | thewriterfred.com
“The Victory of Greenwood: J. B. Stradford,” Carlos Moreno | newtulsastar.com
“The Stradfords of Black Wall Street, Tulsa,” Eric Stradford and Stephanie A. Walker Stradford | blackwallstreet.org