HIS 100 Module Three Activity Template: Historical Context Replace the bracketed text below with your responses.
Identify the topic you chose to explore:
The Tulsa Massacre
Describe the historical context surrounding your historical event.
The riot in Tulsa was part of a rash of race riots started by white people who were angry that African Americans were gaining wealth and prosperity after World War I (1914–18). The legacy of the race riot lives on in Tulsa, and the riot serves as a stark reminder of the racism that is endemic in the United States.
Describe a key historical figure or group’s participation in your historical event.
General Charles Barrett: Adjutant general of the Oklahoma National Guard. Sheriff’s Deputy Barney Cleaver: Generally considered Tulsa’s first black lawman and one of its most respected citizens of any race. Fired by Police Chief John Gustafson in early 1921 and soon hired by Sheriff W.M.
Explain the key historical figure or group’s motivation to participate in your historical event.
Dick Rowland, a young African American shoe shiner, was accused of assaulting a white elevator operator named Sarah Page in the elevator of a building in downtown Tulsa.
Articulate how the historical context caused or influenced your chosen historical event.
The legal segregation of Whites and Blacks legitimized the oppression and discrimination of Blacks. Whites were the only ones who benefited from segregation as it allowed them to remain
superiorto, gain control of, and commit violence against Blacks; All without facing legal punishment. Therefore, The Tulsa Race Massacre was justified by whites because racism and racial violence was the norm in society.
Explain how connecting your historical event and current event improves the understanding of your topic.
I think connecting The Tulsa Race Massacre to current event of the Buffalo, NY. Shooting improves the understanding of my topic, because it shows that racism is still very much alive in this country. It doesn’t matter how many “freedoms” the government puts in place, Blacks are still a target for white supremacists and racists. Times may have changed but racial inequality remains the same.
