An Existentisal Threat

The sky was an angry orange, punctuated by red sparks and a  billowing canvas of black smoke. The roar of flames drowned out all but the loudest screams and gunshots. An entire section of the city, once vibrant with commerce, now resembled a hellscape. Archer Street lay in ruins. The brick facade of the Stradford Hotel, belched flames from its shattered windows. Panicked residents fled their homes, clutching whatever possessions they could carry. A young mother stumbled down the middle of the Avenue, a wailing infant pressed to her chest.  Above the chaos, shadowed men in double-winged aircraft  dropped flaming bundles onto the rooftops and alleyways below. Each explosion spawned a new blaze, spreading the destruction with terrifying efficiency. An elderly man fell to his knees in front of a grocery store. His life's work, the business he'd built from nothing, had disappeared before his eyes. A group of young men, some still in their nightclothes, formed a makeshift bucket brigade, yet their efforts barely made a dent in the towering flames. As dawn broke, a pall of smoke hung heavy in the air.  The Greenwood section of Tulsa Oklahoma had been erased from the map in a single night of terror.  All that remained were the stunned survivors and the ruins of their once-thriving neighborhood.

 

   The Tulsa Race Massacre stands as one of the most devastating episodes of racial violence in American history. This tragic event unfolded over two days, May 31 and June 1, 1921, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. To understand the context of the massacre, we need to examine the backdrop against which it occurred. In the early 20th century, Tulsa was a booming oil town, attracting people from all walks of life seeking opportunity and prosperity. The city, like many others in the United States at the time, was deeply segregated. African Americans primarily resided in a neighborhood known as Greenwood, located in the northern section of Tulsa.

            Greenwood was a remarkable community. It had grown into a prosperous and self-sufficient area, boasting a variety of Black-owned businesses, including grocery stores, hotels, nightclubs, and even a movie theater. The district was so successful that it earned the nickname "Black Wall Street." This prosperity was a source of pride for its residents but also became a target of fear and resentment by members of Tulsa's predominantly white community.