By Yolanda Spivey

Black Wall Street is a name that was given to one of the most successful affluent all-Black communities that existed in America—the Greenwood section of Tulsa, Oklahoma. During the height of its success, Black Wall Street had over 600 successful businesses. It boasted 21 churches, 21 restaurants, 30 grocery stores, two movie theaters, a hospital, bank, post office, a few libraries, schools, 2 airports, and a well established bus system. It was self contained. On the evening of June 1, 1921, Black Wall Street was destroyed during a race riot led by the KKK. Black Wall Street proved that Blacks could create an infrastructure that was self contained and well established. Here are some interesting facts about Black Wall Street that may interest you.

Who established Black Wall Street?– Black Wall Street was established by a Black man. O.W. Gurley was a wealthy African American land-owner who hailed from Arkansas. In 1889 he purchased 40 acres of land in Tulsa, Oklahoma. After settling in the city, Gurley went about establishing small business such as a rooming house, a couple of apartment buildings, and he eventually purchased an 80 acre farm. Soon after, other Black entrepreneurs arrived in Tulsa with the same like mind as Gurley, and that was, “Blacks had a better chance of economic success if they pooled their resources.”

What caused the race riot?– A young Black teenager by the name of Dιck Rowland who was a shoe shiner was accused of assaulting a young White girl who was an elevator operator. A White mob went looking for Dιck believing a newspaper article that he tried to rαpe the White girl. But Blacks were set to defend Dιck Rowland and while at the courthouse, a White man approached an armed Black man asking him, “What are you doing with this gun?” The Black man answered, “I’m going to use it if I have to.” The White man then tried to take the gun away from the Black man and the gun went off leaving the White man deαd. Soon after, truckloads of Whites entered Black Wall Street and within 12 hours, they had burned the whole city down to the ground. It is estimated that over 3000 Blacks dιed during the riots and were bμried in mass unmarked graves. Some were thrown in the river while others were thrown in coal mine shafts.

What happened afterward?– Some believed that Black Wall Street’s founder O.W. Gurley was lynched by a white mob and buried in an unmarked grave but he actually ran away to California and lived the rest of his days in obscurity. He reportedly lost a total of $200,000 in the race war which would be the equivalent of losing $2.5 million in today’s dollars. In total, over $1.5 million in damages were incurred and Blacks tried desperately to rebuild their neighborhood. Within 5 years, they built the city back up but the city suffered great economic hardship, especially after segregation ended, and Blacks stopped supporting Black owned businesses. Today, only a single block of original buildings remains standing.

Where are they now?– Black Wall Street’s founder O.W. Gurley was honored in the 2008 documentary film titled, Before They Die! The Road to Reparations for the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Survivors. Also some streets in the Greenwood section as it stands now have been restored and are now part of a Historical District.