TCC Remembers Greenwood: Virtual Events & Resources

Tulsa Community College hosts a three-day series of virtual conversations with scholars who will walk participants through the historic 1920’s Black Wall Street to the current Greenwood District.

The series is open to anyone interested in attending on Wednesday, April 21; Thursday, April 22; and Friday, April 23 - all events beginning at 1 p.m.

This series is part of TCC’s year-long commemoration, “TCC Remembers: Legacy of Greenwood and Our Shared Racial Healing,” to mark the centennial of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

“This virtual series focuses on the people and places of Black Wall Street – the lives lost, the property destroyed and the symbols of dreams, creativity, and entrepreneurship of the people from this historic district that embody their resilience to rise again,” said Dewayne Dickens, Senior Director of the Center for Community & Learning.

Scholars Shirley Nero, retired history educator and past Board Member for the Oklahoma Historic Society, along with Dr. Vivian Clark-Adams and Jimmie White, retired educators and both having served as official members of the Oklahoma Race Massacre/Riot Commission, will lead the virtual conversations. The three-day series will look back at the roughly 35-40 block area, known by many as Black Wall Street of America, including the place of churches and the role of cultural centers and museums in preserving the Greenwood District History.

The virtual conversations are about 70-minute sessions with Q&A on the following topics.

• TCC Remembers Greenwood Virtual Discussion: Greenwood Rising
  1 p.m., Wednesday, April 21: Focus on Race Riot/Massacre Commissioners Overview of Report Recommendations, Origins of Greenwood, University of Tulsa scholar research, Oaklawn Cemetery discussion
• TCC Remembers Greenwood Virtual Discussion: The Churches of Greenwood
  1 p.m., Thursday, April 22: Focus on the historic Vernon AME Church (the only surviving Greenwood church structure from Massacre) and the Mt. Zion Baptist Church (destroyed – and rebuilt - in the Massacre due to rioters’ beliefs it had stored armory)
• TCC Remembers Greenwood Virtual Discussion: Remembering Greenwood
  1 p.m., Friday, April 23: Focus on Greenwood Cultural Center (known for the site of the Mabel B. Little House, one of the largest collections of Greenwood exhibits, and its cultural work in sharing the Greenwood history) and John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park (known for its outdoor museum to share the story of the contributions of those of African descent within Oklahoma, its mission to honor the memories of the lives lost and the dreams of the community, along with the community tours, courageous conversations, annual dinner, and annual Symposium on reconciliation)

The virtual Greenwood series is free but registration is required. For more information, email communitylearning@tulsacc.edu.

TCC has also developed a list of resources and online material to mark the 100th commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre including the collection of 21+ Voices of Greenwood and the adoption of "Tulsa 1921: Reporting a Massacre” by Randy Krehbiel for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years as its Public Good Reads, a common book program.