A white mob attacks the prosperous Black Greenwood district of Tulsa, killing as many as 300 people and burning 'Black Wall Street' to the ground over two days.
At a Glance
- Date
- 31 May 1921
- Location
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Category
- Civil Unrest & Racial Violence
- Source
- 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Commission Report (2001) · Oklahoma Historical Society
What It Meant Then
It was one of the deadliest acts of racial violence in American history, long suppressed in public memory.
What It Means Now
Greenwood's destruction is now central to debates over reparations and historical accountability.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “The Tulsa Race Massacre Begins.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-tulsa-race-massacre-begins/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). The Tulsa Race Massacre Begins. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-tulsa-race-massacre-begins/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “The Tulsa Race Massacre Begins.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-tulsa-race-massacre-begins/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.