From the thriving business district of Greenwood, once known around the world as Black Wall Street, to the bravery of Black soldiers who fought in Indian Territory during the Civil War, northeast Oklahoma holds some of the most powerful and complex chapters of African American history in the nation.
Today, these stories are preserved and honored through museums, historic sites, monuments and events that invite visitors to learn, reflect and engage with Green Country’s Black history.
On a quiet walk through Greenwood today, it’s hard to imagine that this neighborhood was once one of the most prosperous Black business districts in the world and later the site of one of the darkest chapters in American history.
The Greenwood District was one of the most prominent concentrations of African American businesses in the U.S. during the early 20th century and was known as “Black Wall Street.” In 1921, that thriving community was shattered by the Tulsa Race Massacre, when a white mob gathered and attacked the area. Between 75 and 300 Black Americans were killed, hundreds more were injured and the homes of 5,000 were destroyed, leaving them homeless. The massacre was one of the largest in the history of U.S. race relations, destroying the once-thriving Greenwood community.
Within 10 years of the massacre, surviving residents who chose to remain in Tulsa rebuilt much of the district. They accomplished this despite the opposition of many white Tulsa political and business leaders and punitive rezoning laws enacted to prevent reconstruction. It continued as a vital Black community until segregation was overturned by the federal government during the 1950s and 1960s. Desegregation encouraged Black citizens to live and shop elsewhere in the city, causing Greenwood to lose much of its original vitality. Since then, city leaders have attempted to encourage other economic development activities nearby.
Today, you can visit the Greenwood Cultural Center to immerse yourself in the history of 1921 Tulsa Race Riot/Massacre with more than five exhibits on display to tell the story called “the worst civic disturbance in American history.”
A few blocks away is Greenwood Rising. This award-winning, world-class history center explores Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District in a holistic, experiential way. Start your journey with "Still We Rise" – a video introducing visitors to the history of Greenwood and expounding upon the district’s significance as a Black business mecca.
After the film, experience an immersive journey through several themed exhibits which include environmental media, holographic effects and projection mapping. The Greenwood Spirit showcases life during the district’s early days, while the Arc of Oppression area details the racially discriminatory landscape that led to the Tulsa Race Massacre, followed by the decades of rebuilding and recovery laid out in the Changing Fortunes and Journey Toward Reconciliation exhibits.
The experience concludes with visitors making a personal commitment to advance the cause of racial reconciliation. Once your commitment is submitted, your voice is added to an LED brick in a community wall of museumgoers.
Listed as one of the most important monuments in the nation by National Geographic, John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park memorializes the history of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The park’s Hope Plaza holds three large bronze sculptures created by Ed Dwight – the first Black astronaut candidate in US history. The centerpiece of Reconciliation Park is the 26-foot-tall Tower of Reconciliation, depicting several important struggles and achievements from Oklahoma’s African American history. These include the victory of the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry at the Battle of Honey Springs, the migration of enslaved people on the Trail of Tears, and prominent historical leaders of Tulsa’s African American community.
Did you know that Black soldiers were key to the victory at Honey Springs? The engagement at Honey Springs was the largest of more than 107 documented hostile encounters in Indian Territory. The battle unfolded on a rainy Friday, July 17, 1863, between the First Division Army of the Frontier, commanded by Major General James G. Blunt, and the Confederate Indian Brigade led by Brigadier General Douglas H. Cooper.
Cherokee and Muscogee (Creek) regiments fought on both sides. The approximately 9,000 troops involved included Native Americans, veteran Texas regiments, and the First Kansas Colored Volunteers, which was the first African American regiment in the Union army. The First Kansas Colored Volunteers – later redesignated as the 79th U.S. Colored Infantry – was formed in January 1863 following the Emancipation Proclamation. Reports describe their bravery and effectiveness as critical in securing control of Union control in Indian Territory and proving the valor of Black soldiers.
In his official report of the battle, Major General James G. Blunt wrote: “The First Kansas (colored) particularly distinguished itself; they fought like veterans, and preserved their line unbroken throughout the engagement. Their coolness and bravery I have never seen surpassed; they were in the hottest of the fight, and opposed to Texas troops twice their number, whom they completely routed. One Texas regiment (the Twentieth Cavalry) that fought against them went into the fight with 300 men and came out with only sixty.”
Buffalo soldiers were U.S. Army regiments composed exclusively of Black soldiers dating back to 1866. In the 1870s, these Buffalo soldiers called Fort Gibson home in the 1870s. In operation for nearly 70 years from 1824 to 1890, Fort Gibson was the first U.S. Army post in the area that became the state of Oklahoma. Located at the critical crossroads of the Three Forks where the Arkansas, Grand and Verdigris Rivers meet, the fort was key to maintaining river navigation through the region, and also served as an outpost on the Texas Road connecting settled Missouri with the new country of Mexico after the latter’s independence from Spain in 1820.
Fort Gibson Historic Site now serves as a unique monument to U.S. and Oklahoma history, with a museum full of exhibits detailing the fort’s 19th-century military history, including its unique place in African American history as the headquarters of the Buffalo soldiers of the Tenth Cavalry in the 1870s.
Visitors can explore the fort’s log stockade alongside several original buildings constructed from the 1840s-70s. It's also home to the largest military cemetery in Oklahoma - the Fort Gibson National Cemetery. Historic Fort Gibson hosts a variety of living history events and other special programs throughout the year, making it a popular destination for history buffs of all stripes. Guided group tours are available by appointment.
The Arkansas, Verdigris and Grand Rivers meet in Muskogee, giving this area the name of “Three Rivers.” Today, Muskogee history is memorialized at the Three Rivers Museum, where you can see fascinating exhibits about Bass Reeves, who spent 32 years as the first African American U.S. Marshall west of the Mississippi. When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, the Jim Crow laws prevented him from continuing as a U.S. Deputy Marshal, so he joined the Muskogee Police Department instead.
Outside of the Three Rivers Museum is an eye-catching mural depicting an early scene of Second Street, part of Reeves' police beat in Muskogee. There is also a bronze, 8-ft-tall statue of Bass Reeves with his Billy club in hand.
From the nation’s oldest Black rodeo to an outlaw tour complete with mock gunfights, these annual events are a great way to celebrate the rich heritage and culture of northeast Oklahoma’s African American population.
Witness the oldest African American rodeo in the nation right here in Oklahoma. Also known as the Okmulgee Black Rodeo, the Roy Leblanc Okmulgee Invitational Rodeo is also one of Oklahoma's longest running rodeos overall and one of the largest African American sporting events in the entire nation. The Okmulgee Invitational Rodeo has been entertaining audiences since 1956 as the cowboys test their horsemanship and rodeo skills against each other in a variety of traditional rodeo events. The Leblanc family has been integral in the long-lasting success of this event, with Roy Leblanc overseeing the rodeo for decades and his son now at the helm.
Bass Reeves was the first Black U.S. Deputy Marshall west of the Mississippi River. Honor his legacy at the Bass Reeves Western History Conference each June with special speakers, territorial re-enactors, interactive tours, contests, documentaries, food and more. Attendees are encouraged to dress as their favorite Old West character.
History buffs can enjoy tours of the Greenwood District, while motorcycle enthusiasts can enjoy the custom bike show complete with demo rides. The festivities will also feature music and live entertainment, arts and crafts, financial empowerment workshops, special guest speakers, dancing and food trucks.
Board a historian-led tour bus at the Rudisill Regional Library in Tulsa, and head out to select historically Black towns in Oklahoma. Between 1865 and 1915, there were roughly 60 Black towns in the United States, 20 of which were within Oklahoma/Indian Territory. At each stop, visitors will meet with local historians and citizens to learn more about the town. Past towns have included Grayson, Clearview, Boley, Langston, Rentiesville, Tullahassee, Taft and Redbird.
