Home to one of the Lonely Planet’s “10 Historic Black Landmarks to Visit in the USA” and the first monument on National Geographic’s list of “6 Essential American Monuments,” Tulsa is one of the nation’s most prominent destinations for Black history and culture. Famously nicknamed Black Wall Street, the district’s unprecedented prosperity in a time when the nation failed to recognize Black people as equals served as a bastion of hope for Black people in America.
The horrific Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 saw most of the district’s blocks razed to the ground and the district’s eventual rise from the ashes against all odds expanded on the area’s complex story of triumph and tragedy.
Home to the first monument on National Geographic's list of "6 Essential American Monuments," the John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park was built in commemoration of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst civic disturbances in American history. Hope Plaza, a 16-foot granite structure with three bronze sculptures, depicts historical photos from the 1921 massacre. The Tower of Reconciliation at the center of the park is a 25-foot memorial tower that displays the early struggles of the Oklahoma Territory and the lively history of Black Wall Street in Greenwood.
The Greenwood Cultural Center is a jewel within the historic Greenwood District. The center, which offers educational and cultural experiences to visitors, including tours of the Mabel B. Little Heritage House – the only house built in the Greenwood District in the 1920s that remains standing.
Greenwood Rising, a state-of-the-art history center, provides an opportunity for visitors to reflect upon and honor the legacy of Black Wall Street before and after the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.
Vernon’s present site was purchased by congregation members in 1908 where they would begin constructing a new home for their community. According to church history, the church was heavily damaged during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Following the destruction, the congregation grew and rebuilt. The main church building was completed in 1928 and serves as a remarkable demonstration of the perseverance and fortitude of the Greenwood community.
One of Lonely Planet's “10 Historic Black Landmarks to Visit in the USA,” Mount Zion Baptist Church lies in the heart of Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District. The church was destroyed the same year it was dedicated during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, but was rebuilt in 1952 and stands as a testament to the resilience of Tulsa's Black community. The three-story church features late Gothic Revival architecture and is constructed of buff-colored brick veneer over concrete block. The building’s story is one of strength and tenacity and makes it a must-see Tulsa landmark.
