ABOUT
The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre led to the destruction of the entirety of the most famous and prosperous Black neighbourhood of the time, Greenwood, also known as “Black Wall Street.” The analysis, to date, examines the short- and medium-run effects of the Massacre, focusing on its effects on homeownership, occupational status, and child education for Black Tulsans. This project further explores the Massacre’s immediate and long-term economic impacts, comparing Black people to people from other races, within Tulsa versus elsewhere, before versus after the 1921 Massacre.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Existing estimates show that in the years and decades that followed, the Massacre caused declines in Black homeownership, occupational status, and child education. After 1940, these effects persisted, with the gap in Black homeownership widening in the latter half of the 20th Century. Additionally, there is evidence that Black homeowners and skilled workers were more likely to leave Tulsa after the Massacre. This study will complement this evidence by looking at how the occupations, business ownership, and survival of Black Tulsans varied relative to white Tulsans before relative to after the Massacre.
HOW IT RELATES TO THE STONE CENTRE’S MISSION
The Tulsa Massacre is a historical event that is believed to have been important in shaping racial inequality in Tulsa, if not in much of the rest of the United States. The study’s findings speak directly to the impacts that the Massacre had on Black Tulsans historical and up until the present day. The project also speaks to the broader question of whether other acts of racial violence in U.S. history have had enduring effects. This study links these acts of violence to the well-being of Black populations today, speaking directly to issues of racial inequality.