Tulsa, Oklahoma

On May 31, 1921, the Tulsa Massacre began and continued through June 1. The Greenwood District, "Black Wall Street," that held over 300 Black-owned businesses was burned to the ground by a white mob. The thousands of white rioters attacked and killed the black townspeople. Dynamite was dropped at one point from an airplane. By the time it was over, 35 city blocks were burned, over 300 people were dead, and 10,000 people were left homeless. (At the time, it was reported that roughly 36 people had died.) No one was ever arrested or charged for the killings and damages, and no insurance companies ever paid out a claim on the damage. The only surviving foundation sits beneath this church. Many more details can be found anywhere but in your history books.

In 2010, the John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park was completed with sculptures by Ed Dwight. Hope Plaza has three sculptures based on actual photos from the massacre.

The Tower of Reconciliation depicts the history of African Americans, from Africa to America.

The rest of our day in Tulsa was spent on lighter things.

We found this little historic village.

The last thing we found in Tulsa was the East Meets West sculpture created by Robert Summers. It can be found hear the 1913 decommissioned Route 66 bridge. A Model T encounters a horse-drawn wagon.

So long, Tulsa!