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This year Memorial Day coincides with another historic date. One of America's worst outbreaks of racial violence occurred on May 31st, 1921. It's known as the Tulsa Race Massacre or the Tulsa Race Riot.
Historians believe it started with an accusation against a black man, a confrontation between black and white mobs, the fatal shooting of a white protestor and then widespread destruction of an African American neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. There's a lot of mystery around it. No one knows who actually fired the first shot. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, estimates of the number killed range from 30 to 300, mostly African Americans. Here's CNN Contributor Chris James.
CHRIS JAMES, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Hey Carl. I've come to Tulsa, Oklahoma. A city that's been reckoning with their own painful history of racial violence. Right here on the ground where I'm standing, once stood the neighborhood known as "Black Wall Street". One hundred years ago, this was a thriving and prosperous black community called the Greenwood District with movie theaters, stores, doctors, schools and even a pilot who owned his own plane. Keep in mind during this time, it was illegal for black people and white people to freely shop and live in the same places. They weren't even allowed to use the same water fountains. Tensions between residents reached a tipping point after an incident inside an elevator.
When an unconfirmed rumor began to spread that a 19-year-old black man tried to hurt a 17-year-old white girl. On May 31st, 1921, a group of black and white men confronted each other outside the Tulsa Courthouse. After the firing of gunshots, pure and utter mayhem ensued. A mob of angry white residents began to loot and burn black businesses throughout the Greenwood District. In the span of 24 hours, 35 square blocks were burned and over 1,200 houses were destroyed. It's unclear how many people were killed but some historians have the number as high as 300 with thousands left homeless.
This Monday will mark the 100-year anniversary of what's now known as the Tulsa Race Massacre. It's one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history and for decades it was one of the least talked about in news reports and public-school textbooks. But now the city of Tulsa has decided to face its dark past to ensure a brighter future for all. And on Monday's special edition of CNN 10, I'll introduce you to the teachers and students leading the way. Back to you Carl.
