Oklahoma announces new curriculum covering 1921 Tulsa race riots
OKLAHOMA CITY– Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today joined State Senator Kevin Matthews (D-Tulsa) at Oklahoma City’s Douglass High School to announce the completion of education curriculum about the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot that will be taught statewide. This online toolkit is part of the mission of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Centennial Commission, which was created a year ago to educate Oklahomans and Americans about the Race Riot and its impact on the state and nation; remember its victims and survivors; and create an environment conducive to fostering sustainable entrepreneurship and heritage tourism within North Tulsa.
But, on June 1, 1921, the entire area was burned down as a result of a race riot started by accusations a black man assaulted a white woman.
Hundreds of people died and 800 were injured.
"For decades, Oklahoma schools did not talk about it. In fact, newspapers didn't even print any information about the Tulsa Race Riot. It was completely ignored. It was one of those horrible events that everyone wanted to just sweep up the rug and ignore,” U.S. Senator James Lankford said.
Now, nearly 100 years later, U.S. Senator James Lankford and other leaders of the Tulsa Race Riot Centennial Commission are making sure one of the worst race riots in American history is taught in Oklahoma schools through a new interactive curriculum.
"It's been part of the requirement for Oklahoma education to talk about the Tulsa Race Riot, but there's been no curriculum to go with it,” Lankford said.
Senator Kevin Matthews founded the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Centennial Celebration.
"Teach people about the history and honor those who lost their lives, as well as those who made history back in that day and bring people so we don't repeat that history,” Senator Kevin Matthews in District 11.
The learning tools were created by historical societies, teachers and authors. It's geared toward students in third, sixth, and the high school level.
They include many videos, including ones from survivors.
"It is a sensitive topic and we wanted to get as much knowledge as we could to get another resource out there for teachers who just weren't quite sure on how to teach the subject,” Kim Hagan, Asst. Director of Education at the Oklahoma Historical Society, said.
"That's our worst moment in race in Oklahoma history is that moment. Where have we grown from that time?" Lankford said.
From May 31 until June 1, 1921, it is estimated that 300 individuals were killed during a race-related massacre in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma. An economically and socially vibrant community, often called Black Wall Street, thrived prior to the riot. The curriculum unveiled today tells the story of Black Wall Street, the Race Riot, and its aftermath. The Oklahoma History Center helped the Commission create the curriculum, which can be found and downloaded online at www.tulsa2021.org/resources. The Oklahoma Department of Education plans to begin including this curriculum in their training for teachers this summer.
“I am honored to be a part of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Centennial Commission and the effort to teach the story to Oklahomans,” said Lankford. “It is important to remember tragedies like this because there is something we can learn from the past as we look towards the future.”
“We specifically chose to have this curriculum unveiled during Black History Month,” said Matthews. “People need to know that the Greenwood area, which was once called the Black Wall Street of America, was developed right here in Tulsa, in our state, and about the tragedy that occurred here.”
During today’s press conference, Matthews pointed out that the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, DC tells the history of the Race Riot, but that it is not taught in Oklahoma. He was pleased to learn that Lankford also shared about the Riot on the Senate Floor and he wants more people to know the history.
But, on June 1, 1921, the entire area was burned down as a result of a race riot started by accusations a black man assaulted a white woman.
Hundreds of people died and 800 were injured.
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| Sen. James Lankford (@SenatorLankford) |
"For decades, Oklahoma schools did not talk about it. In fact, newspapers didn't even print any information about the Tulsa Race Riot. It was completely ignored. It was one of those horrible events that everyone wanted to just sweep up the rug and ignore,” U.S. Senator James Lankford said.
Now, nearly 100 years later, U.S. Senator James Lankford and other leaders of the Tulsa Race Riot Centennial Commission are making sure one of the worst race riots in American history is taught in Oklahoma schools through a new interactive curriculum.
"It's been part of the requirement for Oklahoma education to talk about the Tulsa Race Riot, but there's been no curriculum to go with it,” Lankford said.
Senator Kevin Matthews founded the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Centennial Celebration.
"Teach people about the history and honor those who lost their lives, as well as those who made history back in that day and bring people so we don't repeat that history,” Senator Kevin Matthews in District 11.
The learning tools were created by historical societies, teachers and authors. It's geared toward students in third, sixth, and the high school level.
They include many videos, including ones from survivors.
"It is a sensitive topic and we wanted to get as much knowledge as we could to get another resource out there for teachers who just weren't quite sure on how to teach the subject,” Kim Hagan, Asst. Director of Education at the Oklahoma Historical Society, said.
"That's our worst moment in race in Oklahoma history is that moment. Where have we grown from that time?" Lankford said.
From May 31 until June 1, 1921, it is estimated that 300 individuals were killed during a race-related massacre in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma. An economically and socially vibrant community, often called Black Wall Street, thrived prior to the riot. The curriculum unveiled today tells the story of Black Wall Street, the Race Riot, and its aftermath. The Oklahoma History Center helped the Commission create the curriculum, which can be found and downloaded online at www.tulsa2021.org/resources. The Oklahoma Department of Education plans to begin including this curriculum in their training for teachers this summer.
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| Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., left, with Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, right, speaks about immigration and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington |
“We specifically chose to have this curriculum unveiled during Black History Month,” said Matthews. “People need to know that the Greenwood area, which was once called the Black Wall Street of America, was developed right here in Tulsa, in our state, and about the tragedy that occurred here.”
During today’s press conference, Matthews pointed out that the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, DC tells the history of the Race Riot, but that it is not taught in Oklahoma. He was pleased to learn that Lankford also shared about the Riot on the Senate Floor and he wants more people to know the history.
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