Authors

Kali Ryan

Faculty Advisor

Roger De Witt

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

4-2020

Abstract

Learning about history, specifically American history during the early 20th century, many people will know about the violence that came with racism. After the Civil War, the South did everything in their power to make sure that the African American community still suffered, by putting into place what are known as The Jim Crow Laws. The Jim Crow Laws created a concept that was known as “separate but equal”, in other words, it was legal segregation that got around the 14th and 15th amendment. With these laws came more suffering for the newly freed African American slaves. The Jim Crow Laws weren't the only thing that would trouble African American communities of the South. The second wave of the KKK came about in the 1920s, which included 50,000 members by 1925. The KKK were responsible for countless acts of violence against many African American communities, as well as ongoing discrimination. The communities that were affected the most were the ones in the deep south. This became apparent for one African American community in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The events that occurred on May 30, 1921, would forever change the community of Greenwood and would go down in history as one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S history. Even though it's one of the worst racial incidents of U.S history, it's also considered the most unknown and unheard incidents. The incident is formally known as the Tulsa Race Riots or Tulsa Race Massacre; an event that lasted 18 hours as white mobs stormed, killed and destroyed the predominately African American community, Greenwood. Just recently, there was a mass grave that was discovered in Tulsa that is believed to be connected to the race riots, and about 800 people are believed to be buried in the mass grave.

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