THE TULSA MASSACRE OF 1921

 All they wanted was to live their lives,

Own small businesses, provide for their famiies--

live in decent homes, give their kids a good education.

Some call it "The American Dream".

Everyone else was allowed to aim for it, why

couldn't they?  Because the white people in 

their side of Tulsa couldn't handle the fact that the black

people of Greenwood District were doing so well, through

their own hard work and determination, bothering no one else.

It's a known fact people are uneasy around people and things

they don't know.  Instead of trying to learn about them, they take

an instant dislike to them which grows into hatred for no good reason.

People's egos are very fragile to real or imagined slights.

The people in the white part of  Tulsa were already upset. when a young Black

man from Greenwood tripped getting into an elevator and bumped into the female

operator who was white.  The young man knew what would happen when people

found out:  no one would believe him.  By the time it got around, it had been embellished

making it sound like he had attacked her.  He ran for his life, but they tracked him down and

beat him to death.

That set off a powder keg.  The angry white men got together with their guns, and

the Sheriff deputized some of them even though they weren't qualified.  They went to

Greenwood District and broke into homes and businesses, killing innocent men, women,

and children.  They had planes fly low over the buildings dropping kerosene bombs burning

everything to the ground.  It was total destruction and a massacre for no reason.  The officials

called it a riot instead of being truthful and saying it was a massacre.  So none of the Greenwood District

business owners were reimbursed for losses by their insurance companies.  All their hard work

destroyed because of hate.  This happened 100 years ago.  It was neveer taught in school History

classes.  Some survivors of the massacre are now over 100 years old.  They clearly remember

the trauma and destruction.  No one who participated in the massacre was ever charged.

Despite history, coverups, and the tragedies of today--BLACK LIVE MATTER.  As do ALL lives.