The Lead Up
On May 20, 1920, a black man named Dick Rowland is accused of assaulting a white woman named Sarah Page on an elevator in the Drexel Building at 319 S. Main St. Rowland flees the seen but it later arrested by police, who determine that any occurrence was almost certainly incidental. Nonetheless, he is held in jail by Tulsa police.
The next day, the Tulsa Tribune newspaper releases the headline, "Nab Negro for Attacking Girl In an Elevator" (Pictured Left). The article states that Rowland was being charged with assault and attempted rape is implied. The story leads to an anonymous call to Tulsa police claiming that a white mob is planning to lynch Rowland. The jailed man is moved to the Tulsa Courthouse (Pictured Below), while an unruly crowd begins to grow outside of the building.
Tensions would soon overboil.
The next day, the Tulsa Tribune newspaper releases the headline, "Nab Negro for Attacking Girl In an Elevator" (Pictured Left). The article states that Rowland was being charged with assault and attempted rape is implied. The story leads to an anonymous call to Tulsa police claiming that a white mob is planning to lynch Rowland. The jailed man is moved to the Tulsa Courthouse (Pictured Below), while an unruly crowd begins to grow outside of the building.
Tensions would soon overboil.
Tensions Explode
Members of the white mob became more violent in their actions. A group of white men attempted to storm the National Guard Armory in an attempt to procure weapons. Another group of three men entered the courthouse with the intention of procuring Rowland before being turned away.
In response, a group of black leaders arrive at the scene armed with firearms in order to protect the courthouse. Tulsa Sheriff McCullough, Police Chief John Gustafson, Police Commissioner J.M. Adkinson, and National Guard Maj. James A. Bell disagree over how to quell the tensions, with one group wanting to disperse the white crowd and the other wanting to disperse the black crowd.
While debating a course of action, a white man, E.S. MacQueen attempts to steal the gun of one of the black protectors. The gun misfires. The riot begins.
In response, a group of black leaders arrive at the scene armed with firearms in order to protect the courthouse. Tulsa Sheriff McCullough, Police Chief John Gustafson, Police Commissioner J.M. Adkinson, and National Guard Maj. James A. Bell disagree over how to quell the tensions, with one group wanting to disperse the white crowd and the other wanting to disperse the black crowd.
While debating a course of action, a white man, E.S. MacQueen attempts to steal the gun of one of the black protectors. The gun misfires. The riot begins.
White Mob Rule
Chaos breaks out. Those with guns in the white mob begin shooting. It is made worse when a few white police officers join the mob in looting Bardon's Sporting Goods and robbing the store of all of its guns and ammunition. For two hours, the group rampages downtown and leaves an unspecified amount of dead blacks in its wake. The Oklahoma National Guard, as well as a police force reinforced by short-term specially appointed deputies help to briefly quell the rioting. The group moves into the black-inhabited Greenwood District to join with armed blacks in an attempt to protect the area.
A few hours later, a group of 1,500 white citizens, police, and "Home Guard" members storm the Greenwood district under the authority of a "negro uprising."
A few hours later, a group of 1,500 white citizens, police, and "Home Guard" members storm the Greenwood district under the authority of a "negro uprising."
Destruction
Greenwood is quickly swarmed and overwhelmed by the white mob. Blacks are either shot, beaten, and detained. To make matters worse, the Home Guard employs unused World War I fighter planes to strafe and bomb areas of Greenwood. The mob begins breaking into homes and looting them, while other homes are destroyed by the planes.
1,100 homes are razed. The business district is burned to the ground. Many of the possessions of black families not eaten by the fire is stolen by the white mob. The Mt. Zion Baptist Church is burned to the ground with refugees inside of it. Blacks that did surrender were openly gunned down in cold blooded murder.
Greenwood is destroyed.
1,100 homes are razed. The business district is burned to the ground. Many of the possessions of black families not eaten by the fire is stolen by the white mob. The Mt. Zion Baptist Church is burned to the ground with refugees inside of it. Blacks that did surrender were openly gunned down in cold blooded murder.
Greenwood is destroyed.