The history of Black Wall Street.

Black Wall Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 1919

February is Black History Month, so we wanted to dig into some history regarding Black wealth and business in the United States. Were things always as they are now? Were there ever pockets of great wealth for Black people? Our research brought us back to the early 1900s, to the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma, commonly known at the time as Black Wall Street.

After emancipation, Oklahoma was regarded as a safe haven for African Americans, and more than 50 townships in the state were founded by African Americans between 1865-1920. Communities were sprouting all over the state, and people were eager to create their new lives. In Tulsa, Black Wall Street quickly became the epicenter of both Black business and culture. It was the wealthiest African American community in the United States, with booming business and a thriving economy. Started by O.W. Gurley, Black Wall Street was built for Black people, by Black people. With a railroad line separating the Black from the White residents, Greenwood and Black Wall Street were able to be self-reliant and separate, giving them the chance to thrive within their own community. There were hotels, grocery stores, doctors offices, real estate agents, barbershops, and their own newspaper and schools. The community thrived from the early 1900s until 1921, when tragedy struck.

On May 30, 1921, a young African American shoe shiner was accused of and arrested for allegedly assaulting a white elevator operator in downtown Tulsa. The following day, a local newspaper printed a story with the accusations, including a call for the lynching of the young man later that night. Hundreds of African Americans and whites showed up, the whites ready to lynch him and the African Americans ready to defend him. When the mobs of people turned violent, the Tulsa race riot of 1921 began.

For the next two days, hundreds of white people looted and destroyed the homes and businesses in Greenwood and on Black Wall Street. More than 1,400 homes and businesses were burned down and millions of dollars of damage were incurred, leaving the residents homeless and stripped of their wealth.

Though met with resistance, eventually some businesses recovered and reopened. They thrived again for some years until desegregation opened the door for white businesses to move into Greenwood as well. By 1961, only 10% of African American income in Tulsa was spent on Black Wall Street. 

A flourishing community, founded and fostered by African American ingenuity, hard work and community spirit was shattered in a matter of hours by a white mob. We are committed to doing our part to support Black businesses and the communities they anchor by making it easier for shoppers of all races to buy Black. 

You’re already shopping; time to shop for a better world.