This past weekend, I had the powerful opportunity to visit?Greenwood Rising: Black Wall Street?in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
You may ask,????????? ?????? ?????????? ???????? ?????????????
It was a thriving center of?Black ingenuity, entrepreneurship, wealth, education, and excellence, built during the Reconstruction Era after the abolition of slavery. African Americans, placed on land originally taken from Native Americans during the Trail of Tears, built a self-sustaining and prosperous community—despite the constraints of “separate but equal.” But their success sparked jealousy, racism, and violence.
On?May 31, 1921, the Tulsa Race Massacre began with a white mob invading the town. In the span of a single day, men, women, and children were murdered. Homes and businesses were burned to the ground. Though the Black Tulsa community attempted to rebuild, systemic obstacles and targeted policies ensured it would never be the same. The government and media not only displaced blame but also covered up the atrocities.
I had long known about this dark chapter in history, but standing on this land, bearing witness to its remnants, was something else entirely.?Visiting Greenwood Rising reinforced that knowledge is—and will always be—power.?Not the kind that dominates, but the kind that educates, empowers, and uplifts. As I continue my journey, I am committed to sharing these stories, honoring resilience, and using what I learn to help others do better in their own lives.
“?????????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ???? ???????????????? ??????'?? ????????????????: ?????? ???? ?????????????? ????????, ?????? ?????????? ???? ?????????????? ????.”?– Booker T. Washington
#BlackWallStreet #BlackHistoryMonth #GreenwoodRising #HistoryMatters #KnowledgeIsPower #Empowerment