White Riot / Black Massacre: A Brief History of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

In highly-segregated Tulsa, Oklahoma in June, 1921, a white mob attacked the mostly Black neighborhood of Greenwood. Hundreds of people were killed, and thousands injured. Homes, businesses, schools, and churches were burned or looted. The city government supported the mob, insurance companies refused to cover the losses, and the KKK touted it as a great success. The news media barely mentioned it, and it was rarely reported on or taught about in schools. For decades it was referred to as a riot, and only recently has the more accurate term "massacre" been applied in official documents. This short history creates an evocative account grounded in well-researched details that bring the events alive in an urgent and personal way, as well as detailing what happened afterwards and the ongoing fight for reparations. As we reach the centennial of these atrocities, this zine serves as a reminder that we must all take an active role in not repeating the worst of our history.

Kris Rose is a native of Tulsa Oklahoma. She was active in the punk scene from the mid 90s until 2019 when she sold her independent bookstore, Bound for Glory Books. She has also travelled extensively across the United States by train (hopping and Amtrak), hitchhiking, Greyhound and tour van. She currently resides in Tulsa with her husband and many pets. Her articles have appeared in the Tulsa Voice where she most memorably interviewed Wanda Jackson. Several of her short stories and essays have been published by both Red Dirt Press and Microcosm Publishing. In her spare time she lectures about her love of horror movies and their influence on her own brand of feminism.