“These are not myths, not rumors, not speculations, not questioned. These are all questions worth exploring.The current Mass Graves Investigation seeks to address those questions and more. In some of the city's all-night cafes, whites began to organize for a dawn invasion of Greenwood.During the early hours of the conflict local authorities did little to stem the growing crisis. In the end, the restoration of Greenwood after its systematic destruction was left to the victims of that destruction. He was arrested for allegedly attempting to rape a 17-year-old white elevator operator, Sarah Page, at the nearby Drexel Building.Because Black people were not allowed to use restrooms in the area, they were given access to one at the top of an office building, accessible by elevator. On Memorial Day, most – but not all – stores and businesses in Tulsa were closed.

Yet, despite efforts by the white establishment to force the relocation of the black community, within days of the violence black Tulsans had already begun the long and arduous process of rebuilding Greenwood. Broussard, who is a co-author of American history textbooks, says the notion that 300 or more died is "greatly exaggerated" and that it is highly unlikely after all these years that any mass graves will be located.Scott Ellsworth, University of Michigan historian, Tulsa native and author of "Death in the Promised Land: The Tulsa Race riot of 1921," tells USA TODAY flatly that "nobody knows, nobody knows." A group of influential white developers persuaded the city to pass a fire ordinance that would have prohibited many blacks from rebuilding in Greenwood. The sheriff, however, turned them down, and the men returned to Greenwood. While it is true the event was devastating to the Black community and to Tulsa, differing opinions over the number of casualties make it difficult to classify the massacre as the worst riot in the country's history. The territory of Northern Oklahoma had been established for the resettlement of On August 4, 1916, Tulsa passed an ordinance that mandated residential segregation by forbidding blacks or whites from residing on any block where three-fourths or more of the residents were members of the other As returning veterans tried to reenter the labor market following Northeastern Oklahoma was in an economic slump that increased unemployment. The Tulsa Real Estate Exchange estimated property losses amounted to The Red Cross estimated that 10,000 people, mostly black, were made homeless by the destruction. Individual users must determine if their use of the Materials falls under United States copyright law's "Fair Use" guidelines and does not infringe on the proprietary rights of the Oklahoma Historical Society as the legal copyright holder of Photo credits: All photographs presented in the published and online versions of Oklahoma Historical Society | 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73105 | 405-521-2491(15583.B, Oklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection, OHS). While it is still uncertain as to precisely what happened in the Drexel Building on May 30, 1921, the most common explanation is that Rowland stepped on Page's foot as he entered the elevator, causing her to scream.Talk soon turned to action. Under the martial law established that day, the detainees were required to carry identification cards.Captain John W. McCune reported that stockpiled ammunition within the burning structures began to explode which may have further contributed to casualties.Martial law was withdrawn Friday afternoon, June 4, 1921 under Field Order No. Accounts of an incident circulated among the city’s white community during the day and became more exaggerated with each telling.Tulsa police arrested Rowland the following day and began an investigation. They had cause to believe that his personal safety, like the defense of themselves and their community, depended on them alone. He said at the mass meeting: ""Frankly, the places that most people are learning their history aren't in books," he tells USA TODAY. Bynum launched an investigation into longstanding oral history accounts of mass graves at various sites in Tulsa, alleged burial sites for scores of mostly-black victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. At about 10 p.m. a false rumor hit Greenwood that whites were storming the courthouse. It occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As private citizens, many whites in Tulsa and neighboring communities did extend invaluable assistance to the massacre’s victims, and the relief efforts of the American Red Cross in particular provided a model of human behavior at its best. By the time that additional National Guard troops arrived in Tulsa at approximately 9:15 a.m. on the morning of June 1, most of Greenwood had already been put to the torch.A brief period of martial law was followed by recriminations and legal maneuvering.

The survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre are nearly all dead now. Tulsa can only redeem herself from the country-wide shame and humiliation into which she is today plunged by complete restitution and rehabilitation of the destroyed black belt. This history, separate and apart from its truth, has value. McCullough said "I did not" and a negro said you did tell us to come.Having seen the armed blacks, some of the more than 1,000 whites who had been at the courthouse went home for their own guns. By 7:30 p.m. hundreds of whites had gathered outside the Tulsa County Courthouse, demanding that the authorities hand over Dick Rowland, but the sheriff refused. Down East Archer, I saw the old Mid-Way hotel on fire, burning from its top, and then another and another and another building began to burn from their top. Planes circling in mid-air: They grew in number and hummed, darted and dipped low. It was a smaller group but more organized and determined. Official proceedings began on June 6, 1921. Members of the local chapter of the Many prominent white Tulsans also participated in the riot,At around midnight, white rioters again assembled outside the courthouse.