Black History month February 2024
How’s your Black History?
Have you heard of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921?
HISTORY
It was a two-day-long planned desecration by white supremacist who mass murdered at least 300 black people, destroyed 35+ square blocks of their neighborhood with homemade bombs from airplanes, burned houses, burned people, etc. (this was one of the wealthiest black communities at the time, known as "Black Wall Street") and reported to have displaced 10,000 families. Mobs of white residents, some of whom had been appointed as deputies and armed by city government officials who were members of the KKK, burned down over 1,200 homes, over 60 businesses, a school, a hospital, a public library, and a dozen churches in Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (One of the largest Ku Klux Klan buildings in the country stood within a short walking distance of this community).
Following the massacre, government and city officials, as well as prominent business leaders, not only failed to invest and rebuild the once thriving Greenwood community, but actively blocked efforts to do so. Many of the white men who participated in the attack occupied prominent positions at City Hall, the community’s courthouses, press rooms, churches, and office buildings. No arrests were made, insurance claims were denied, and no reparations were ever paid. There was no justice for these crimes, the impacts of which black Tulsans still feel today.
WHY IT MATTERS
We need to understand the long term effects the Tulsa Race Massacre has on Americans today. There used to be 200 black owned businesses pre massacre, now there's less than 10. It used to be ~40 blocks and now it's 1 block. The massacre didn't just happen and that's the end of the story; it's 100 years later and through eminent domain, gentrification, red lining, and urban renewal a lot of people are still suffering displacement. (Understanding what this means will deepen your understanding of Black history- read more in the comments).
Our children aren’t learning about this (or many other race massacres- see comments) in the whitewashed history taught in our public schools. Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma said “It was completely ignored. It was one of those horrible events that everyone wanted to just sweep under the rug and ignore.”
HOW DID IT GET LIKE THIS?
There is a historical tendency to ignore/downplay events that reflect negatively the actions of the dominant group (white people) in society. The lack of diverse perspectives in curriculum development and the influence of historical narratives contributes to the whitewashing of history taught.
IMPACT ON TODAY’S KIDS
This Black History Month many educators across the country are reported to be struggling with increasing limits on what they can teach about racism and history. Lawmakers in 30 states have proposed new restrictions during the past year on what schools can teach about the nation's racial history. This began when political activists started making up false claims of CRT being taught in public schools. Teaching a whitewashed version of American history ignores the oppressions that have left a legacy that still haunts us today. It prevents students from understanding all aspects of history.
LOCALLY
If extremists are successful in flipping school boards here in LivCo you can expect less comprehensive and less diverse curricula taught to your children. Fowlerville school board members have already made noise about the Hillsdale 1776 curriculum.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Vote for school board members who support comprehensive and diverse curricula!
Email your school board and let them know that you support evaluating and updating historical curricula to ensure as comprehensive and inclusive understanding of our nation's history as possible. Because a diverse curriculum benefits all students in the long haul.
Credible sources for further information can be found at the bottom of this post
Tulsa Race Massacre documentary “Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street” in the comments.
