Race Riots: Rosewood and Black Wall Street

Destinee Williams 

Ms. Robertson

Race Riots: Rosewood and Black Wall Street

1.      What were the two distinctions about Greenwood that may have made its neighbors envious?

·      Greenwood had indoor pluming and a fantastic school system that highly educated African American children

2.      Based on what we have learned about Africa why do you think Greenwood was nicknamed “Little Africa”?

·      There were many high achieving African Americans coming out of Greenwood which is why they began to call it “Little Africa”

3.      Although we have not learned about Wall Street why do you think Greenwood was called “Black Wall Street?” Is there another place today in the United States that could possibly be nicknamed “Black Wall Street?”

·      The Tulsa Race Riot was one of the main reasons they began to call Greenwood “Black Wall street” and because there were many historical accomplishments that occurred there.

4.     How did the National Guard respond to the massacre? 

·      They arrested and detained 6,000 black Tulsans who were released only upon being vouched for by white employers and citizens.

5.     How did the interviewees remember the Greenwood community before the massacre?

·      It was one of America’s wealthiest boomtowns.  If you wanted to build your business, Greenwood was the place to do it; everyone had they’re own business and was making money.

6.     What was the name of the man who “assaulted” the white woman? How does this lynching compare to the others we have read about?

·      Dick Rolland was convicted of assaulting the white women.  This does no compare to the other lynching because normally the blacks never did fight back.

7.     What did the interviewees remember the actual day of the massacre?

·      Everything was in flames, they can see the smoke and hear the gunshots everywhere. Everyone was feared for his or her lives.  All blocks were destroyed and more than 5,000 blacks were left homeless.

8.     What do you think it took so many years to “uncover” Rosewood?

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9.     How did Ms. Minnie Lee remember the Rosewood Massacre?

·      She remembered everything just burning down.

10. What incident caused the massacre?

·      Fanny Taylor screamed for help telling people a black man had entered her home and rapped her.

11. According to Mr. Fred Kirklin how many man joined the mob? What did they do to those running out of houses?

·      The mob had returned as thousands.  They would shoot everyone that would run outside of the house.

12. How was John Wright remembered? Who was he?

·      Owned the general store and was a hero.  He opened his home to many of the children and women who were hiding from the mob.  Luckily he was capable of getting a message out to the railroad companies say “the town is on fire, send a train”

13. Why do you think Ms. Minnie Lee never told her family about Rosewood?

·      It brings back too many bad memories.  She didn’t want them to know her struggle and how she has come along.

14. How did the Greenwood community respond to the massacre? How do you think they were able to find the strength to move forward?

·      They responded, as would any other person who would have come across this horrible experience.  I feel that with God and faith by their side they were able to overcome the horror and move forward with their lives.