The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre: Images of A Community In Terror

Photos provided by the Tulsa Historical Society & Museum.

The Innocent Victims - Children were the most innocent victims of the violence. Today only three people -- who were children at the time -- are still living who were eyewitnesses to the assault. Here, two African American siblings are shown. The young girl on the left is named Virginia. Her brother, on the right, is named Buddy. They stand near the Booker T. Washington High School building.
Unimaginable Damage - Historians have estimated 300 people died in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and 1,200 homes and 191 Black-owned businesses in a 35-square-block area were destroyed. About 10,000 Black Tulsans were left homeless.  This photo shows nine individuals in the street viewing the destruction.
An Uncertain Future - As many as 10,000 people were displaced in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Many Black residents left Tulsa never to return, although an unknown number did stay and attempt to rebuid. This photo shows a small truck loaded with people and a woman sits with her legs dangling from the back.
A Family Question - African American siblings Buddy and Virginia stand with a Black man identified as Horace Hughes. It is not known how many families were separated from one another during the siege, nor what happened to those who were orphaned.Children Unspared - An unidenfitied Black boy stares into the camera. His photo was taken by American Red Cross personnel who had come to assist victims of the attack. 

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Unimaginable Damage - Historians have estimated 300 people died in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and 1,200 homes and 191 Black-owned businesses in a 35-square-block area were destroyed. About 10,000 Black Tulsans were left homeless.  This photo shows nine individuals in the street viewing the destruction.

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