The Oklahoma Riot Of 1921

The first point of evidence in the fight for equality is the importance of Selma, AL to the rights movement. More specifically the march made by so many negroes from Selma to the state capital. “That March, protesters attempting to march from Selma to the state capital of Montgomery were met with violent resistance by state and local authorities. As the world watched, the protesters (under the protection of federalized National Guard troops) finally achieved their goal, walking around the clock for three days to reach Montgomery.” (History.com, 2010). This historic march, and the participation of Martin Luther King Jr, helped to immensely raise consciousness of the difficulty faced by negro voters in the South and also urgency for a Voting Rights Act which was passed later in the year.

In Chapter 4 of his book, which is aptly titled “Postwar Passions”, Daniels chooses to focus on the experiences of African-Americans in the post-WWI era, specifically focusing on race riots that occurred during the “Red Summer” of 1919. (104) There is a long-standing history of racial discord between whites and African-Americans, but the post-WWI years are a unique time. It has been more than fifty years since slavery has been abolished, but it will still take another forty plus years before discrimination on the basis of race is made illegal in America. Industrialization after the turn of the century and blatant racism in the South led to the migration of millions of African-Americans to northern

White supremacy in Tulsa during 1917 to 1921 was soaring, white citizen of Tulsa thought with events of bombing a wealthy oilman home to the killing of a taxi cab driver that they should have take the law into their own hands. African Americans were terrified in the white citizens actions. African Americans felt that they would not get equal justice with the law, so African Americans had to stand together against white supremacy and challenge their authority. Which leads into the events that start of the Tulsa race riot. Dick Rowland work as a shoe shiner on Main Street. There were no toilet facilities for the boot shiners, so the owner of the shine parlor where Rowland worked arranged for the employees to use the restroom across the street on the top floor. So the morning of “May 31, 1921” Rowland went across the street to us the bathroom. Dick Rowland got onto the elevator to go to the top floor of the building. Minutes later the young lady ran out of the elevator with scratches on her hands,

Imagine living in a town that was once thriving with successful businesses to a community that barely exist. As you travel down the deserted roads of your community you are surrounded by boarded up memorable buildings, deteriorating homes, and empty storefronts. The water tower that stands tall for all to see is now covered by rust. While the streets in which you are traveling on show signs of frequent patchwork in an effort to salvage the road. As you pass by what once was your favorite mom and pop’s restaurant you began to reminisce on the time you spent there with loved ones. This has become the story of residents in Boley, Oklahoma; one of the first all black towns in the state.

Inspired by the Wilmington Riots of 1898, Charles Chesnutt delves deep into the racial tensions of the South in his novel On the Marrow of Tradition. Despite being set well after the end of the Civil War, the struggle between the black and white races is far from over. The white race insists on maintaining complete control in every aspect of society, including personal matters. They are constantly demanding that the black community serve them. On the other end, the black race is struggling to survive the harsh conditions the white-dominated society imposes on them. Throughout the novel, Chesnutt reminds us of the ongoing battle between the two races. At the same time, Chesnutt explores the effect this has on various members in society. The youngest two characters in the novel, Dodie and Doctor Miller’s son, exemplify the conditions and consequences for the black and white races. Although they seem to be secondary characters in On the Marrow of Tradition, both Dodie and Doctor Miller’s son play a crucial role in the representation of their respective races.

One of the laws includes “Separate free schools shall be established for the education of children of African descent; and it shall be unlawful for any colored child to attend any white school, or any white child to attend a colored school. Although African Americans were given what whites had it was often of poor quality. For example white schools got better education, better teachers and opportunities than black schools. Sometimes signs were put up just to humiliate African Americans. Trying to “Keep them in their place.” The separate but equal laws were proven unequal in many situations. Voting was affected in a huge way there were many

Let’s examine the reality of violence during the Reconstruction Era. In the document, “Southern Horrors- Lynch Laws in All its Phases, by Ida B. Wells-Barnett we see countless examples of the continued violence in the south against African-Americans. The slogan “This is white man’s country and the

This proved to be a very important act passed. The passing of the voting to African Americans was strongly not wanted. The Ku Klux Klan along with other hate groups tried to prevent the 15th Amendment from being in place by violence and intimidation. In view of that fact the practical question immediately is, whether that situation of things could be changed by legislation. And if it could, if the protection of those whom the Ku-Klux keeps from the polls by terror would prevent the national government falling into the hands of the Ku-Klux party, ought they not to be protected and the government saved”, The Ku Klux 1871. “Two decisions in 1876 by the Supreme Court narrowed the scope of enforcement under the Enforcement Act and the Force Act, and together with the end of Reconstruction marked by the removal of federal troops after the Hayes-Tilden Compromise of 1877, resulted in a climate in which violence could be used to depress black voter turnout and fraud could be used to undo the effect of lawfully cast votes”, Before the Voting Rights Act.

This question is important because it first reveals how American cities “simmered with hatred, deeply divided as always…. Time and again in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, urban white proved themselves capable of savagery toward their black neighbors…” (6). Unless documented in novels such as Arc of Justice, the deep racism and brutal mistreatment of black people in the past may fade away from memory. The question is also important because it explains how “the Sweet case did help move America away from the brutal intolerance of the

Pre-existing racism in Tulsa was the foundation on which all the other causes of the riot were built upon. Wide-spread segregation was still common in America at that time and it was accepted by many in the North and South that whites were inherently superior to blacks. These views were particularly strong in the South, where emancipated blacks were seen as a threat and scourge to white Southern culture, a culture which was utterly dominated by whites and where blacks were oppressed with no hope of equal protection under the law, equal representation, etc. This was also the case in Tulsa in the early 1900s. Blacks were segregated against by the white residents and as a consequence formed their own community, called Greenwood, on the north side of the Frisco Railroad tracks, which was heralded by

The book captures the influential upbringing William “Bill” Felton Russell had and how the philosophies and culture he was immersed in shaped who he was. He grew up during the 1930s-1940s in West Monroe, Louisiana - a town that, at the time, had minimal blacks living there. While the town itself was relatively peaceful in terms of racial tension, surrounding areas did not adopt the same views. One day when Bill and his older brother Chuck were tossing pebbles at one another, a stray stone hit a passing car being driven by a white man. The man called Bill a “nigger” and threatened to hang him. As Bill recalls, “I ran off, half angry, half laughing.” This shows the almost humorous perspective some blacks during this time had about the “white power.” Often, there is a notion that blacks during the Jim Crow era were in constant fear of whites. While this was true, some blacks, such as the Russell family, opposed, laughed, and scoffed at this idea.

Protests riots in the United States has proven to an issue for both the country’s financial strength and the unity of the nation. With the presence of social injustices, combined with the increased impact of social media propaganda, protests riots are beginning to reach an all time high. Protest riots destroy individual communities and businesses, jeopardizes the safety of others and taints the protest’s cause by resorting to civil disobedience. Action must be done in order to prevent these random acts of violence from continuing after every social hot topic. The goal is not to prevent citizens from protesting; in fact, this should be encouraged. The goal is to change the way the protests are handled from both the citizens and authority perspectives, in order to prevent these protests from escalating into something dangerous.

The “Tulsa Tribune” produced an article with alternative facts stating that Dick “Raped” the young women and was going to be lynched that night which was completely false. In fact the police stated that “No rape occurred nor did an assault.” The Tribune falsely reported a lynching also that outraged black communities. The heading of the Tribune was “Nab Negro for attacking girl in elevator” also they used the word Rape which was almost never used in articles in newspapers causing outrage in white communities prompting the crowd to form around the courthouse. Along with the city, state legislatures impacted the black and white relationship by implementing Jim crow laws, allocating money to white neighborhoods, hindering black communities and not letting them vote which over time created such a tension that it eventually imploded. The federal government hand their hands tied in the U.S. constitution states handle state issues unless the federal government takes over but Harding could not send troops in, because who was he supposed to defend? If he helped blacks he loses votes with republicans along with that he was an “undercover brotha” which is a member of congress who is part of the KKK. Lastly, the people and police who handled the situation wrong are the most blatant people to blame, the people cannot be judge, jury and cause mobs when

On 1 May 1866 in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, an altercation between black Union soldiers and Memphis police officers started a chain reaction that eventually brought about what has come to be known as the Memphis Riots of 1866. The group of amicably intoxicated soldiers reacted negatively when told by a small group of officers to break up their party, and although no one was seriously injured, the situation quickly escalated to the point where shots were fired on both sides (Carden 2). This incident, however, was not the cause of the Memphis Riots. Instead, I will argue that the altercation merely served as the spark to set a fire to a whole mess of kindling made of economic, political, and social twigs and branches, which was already in place long before the actual events of the Memphis Riots.

“It’s a great day in America.” The question is, for who? The aura of oppression has plagued the black community indefinitely. While the principal of American values is sound, there is an overwhelming concern with regard to the reality, of who is welcome into the “American Dream.” An undertone has boiled beneath the surface of these values for generations. The robust history of racism in America is alarming. While it is important to note that gains have been made, is a race that is almost won considered victory? Let’s explore. On American soil, in a suburb of Tulsa named Greenwood, Oklahoma, war was waged on America’s own. A massacre so savage, many have opted to delete it from their memory all together. The local and state authority of Oklahoma went as far as to omit it from the public records altogether. Grotesque acts that claimed not only the lives of thousands, but has tainted the American Dream in its entirety. Thus, begging the question, “What exactly is the “American Dream?” In 1921, the face of society certainly differed from what we see today. Flagrant racism did not hide behind closed doors or live behind pursed lips. Racism was widely accepted as a way of life. The bigoted heart was worn as a badge of honor. The oppression of the black race was a sign of the times. Slavery was profound across much of our nation, and blacks were treated with extreme aggression despite their succumbing nature to the ill treatment, they were force fed