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Maggie

"Greenwood Avenue in Tulsa, Okla., was the pulse of the Black business community. [It] was so promising, so vibrant that it became home to what was known as America’s Black Wall Street. But what took years to build was erased in less than 24 hours by racial violence".

"The New York Times constructed a 3-D model of the Greenwood neighborhood as it was before the destruction."

nytimes.com/interactive/2021/0

@Maggie I was always fairly well-read in US history, not great, but “above average,” I suppose. Knew about Wilmington and St. Louis etc., *never* heard about Tulsa until around 12 years ago, in my early 40s (I’m 52 now). How. In. Hell. Did they leave that out of my generation’s education? Learning about it for the first time was a stark lesson in the sins-of-omission from an education steeped in white supremacy.

@erkmo
Yes, astounding, however although it was a great example of African American achievement amid racial oppression in 1921, it was also a prime example of the hatred, jealousy, violence & failure/ participation of police/ judicial system as well as its coverup by the white population.
There has been a significant amount of white-washing of history that many people never learnt about in school, but is now being revealed.

@erkmo @Maggie same here. I've been actively seeking to learn about my history and to find examples of Black Excellence since I was in fourth grade (encouraged by my Dad). I am the same age as you but didn't learn about Tulsa until my late 30's.

How do we integrate our history when writers and publishers are historically all white?

It's a painful topic.

@the_ray_archie @Maggie And on top of it all you’ve got so many examples of state K-12 systems (even in ostensibly deep blue places) caving in to the bullying of far-Right nutjob Arbiters of Curricula in Texas, with their “happy slaves” narratives and Lost Cause templates. It really beggars belief. I’m from VA and then NC, before we became expats. Fifteen years of outside-looking-in adds a useful perspective (although Canada, too, has a long, long way to go.)

@erkmo @the_ray_archie
The far-right & conservatives strive to ban enlightening books & intigate fear by claiming racial indoctrination/making wte kids feel guilty/shame.This is to prevent real change that comes from a realistic perspective of all ppl. lives. It reminds one of a totalitarian state desperately trying to maintain the unequal balance of power/the status quo by preventing ppl. from learning the truth re. how the "ruling classes" have controlled/oppressed them as well as minorities

@the_ray_archie @erkmo
Yes, thanks for sharing. Many POC, especially black people, grew up with complexes/ identity crisis due to the social hierarchy & racial oppression making them feel less worthy or capable. Or if they were ambitious, if gave them the feeling that their endeavours were futile as the odds were stacked against them. These e.g.s of black excellence were important. Glad your encouraged you as history is still be written by a white privileged majority.

@Maggie @erkmo My Dad gave me a copy of "They Came Before Columbus" by Ivan Von Sertima. It's a great read. White historians generally don't subscribe to Sertima's research but -- he presents very strong evidence of international trade before 1492.

@the_ray_archie @erkmo
Thanks for sharing, it does sound like a fascinating read.

@Maggie thanks for these hashtags, I noticed it’s very white around here.

@Maggie Because of whitewashed history, I was a grown adult before I ever heard about this horrible tragedy. Love this post 💕

@Maggie What happened in Tulsa 100 years ago was a pogrom, full stop.