Historical Event
Black Wall Street
Black Wall Street refers to the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a prosperous African American community that thrived in the early 20th century, particularly during the 1910s and 1920s. This district was decimated in the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, when white mobs attacked Black residents and businesses, killing hundreds and destroying a vibrant economic center.
Why This Matters
The resilience and entrepreneurial spirit epitomized by Black Wall Street underscore the economic aspirations of the African American community during Reconstruction and beyond, serving as both a model of Black self-sufficiency and a poignant reminder of violent resistance to that progress. This narrative is crucial for bridging the historical and contemporary experiences of both continental Africans and their diasporic kin, highlighting the shared legacies of resilience and adversity in the face of systemic oppression.
Timeline Context
Black Wall Streets
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Related People
Related Heritage Sites
Related Lessons
Economic Self-Determination: From Mutual Aid to Black Wall Street
Unit 7
Black Wall Street and the Architecture of Black Wealth
Unit 8
The White Normative Gaze and Its Shadows: Respectability, Authenticity, and the Politics of Black Identity
Unit 6
Mutual Aid and Cooperative Economics: The Tradition That Survived Everything
Unit 8
Malcolm X & the Nation of Islam: Black Nationalism and Self-Defense
Unit 6