LibGuides: Tulsa Race Massacre Resources: Tulsa Race Massacre

Official Reports and Graves Investigation

The report documents the Justice Department's findings, made during its review and evaluation of the Tulsa Race Massacre, undertaken pursuant to the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Act.

Tulsa Race Riot: A Report by the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 - February 28, 2001

In 1997, the Oklahoma Legislature established the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921. After four years of investigation and the participation of high-profile historians like Scott Ellsworth and John Hope Franklin, they released a 200-page report, creating an official history.

1921 Graves Investigation

In 2018, the City of Tulsa launched the 1921 Graves Investigation which reopened the search for potential graves from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, as identified in the 2001 State commissioned report.

Online Exhibits, Digitized Books, and Podcasts

1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Online Exhibit
This online exhibit, curated by the Tulsa Historical Society, features photos, audio recordings, documents, and additional resources pertaining to the Tulsa Race Massacre.
American Red Cross Relief Stations
This online collection features recordings of oral histories, relief station material, and newspaper clippings saved by staff at the American Red Cross relief stations set up after the massacre. Also included in the collection is a copy of typescript reports written and received by Maurice Willows, the Director of Relief of the American Red Cross. The final report was compiled by Red Cross Registration Bureau staff member, Loula V. Watkins.
Remembering Tulsa - Smithsonian Magazine Special Report
To mark the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Smithsonian magazine compiled a collection of their coverage of the attack. Included in the report are artifacts from the massacre, an article on B.C. Franklin's eyewitness account, resources on understanding systemic racism in America, and more.

Events of the Tulsa Disaster - Mary E. Jones Parrish
Published in 1922, Parrish's book includes her own account of fleeing the violence with her young daughter, eyewitness first-hand accounts of the massacre, and a lengthy street-by-street list of property damages.
Massacre of Black Wall Street - Graphic Novel
in 2019 the series premiere of HBO's "Watchman" opened with a scene set in the Greenwood District during the Tulsa Race Massacre. Following the episode, HBO and The Atlantic create an online graphic novel that provides a unique look at the Tulsa Race Massacre in graphic novel format and includes dialogue from primary witness accounts of the event.
The Tulsa Race Riot and Three of Its Victims - B.C. Franklin
B.C. Franklin's unpublished manuscript written 10 years after the massacre. The manuscript recounts the events of the massacre as witnessed by the author, including an account of Franklin witnessing three men being killed by the mob.

Survivor and Contemporaries Audio Recordings
Audio recordings from the Tulsa Historical Society of survivors of the massacre and contemporaries of the time.

The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre - A Very OK Podcast
Recorded in May 2021 - Trait Thompson, Executive Director for the Oklahoma Historical Society, Dr. Bob Blackburn, former Executive Director of the OHS, and Phil Armstrong, Project Director for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission, discuss what happened May 31 - June 1, 1921, and how Oklahoma can begin to heal as the 100th anniversary approaches.
Blindspot: Tulsa Burning
In six episodes, Blindspot: Tulsa Burning tells the story of a thriving neighborhood that attackers set on fire, and the scars that remain 100 years later. They consider the life of this remarkable 35 blocks of Tulsa through the stories of the survivors, descendants and inheritors of that legacy. A co-production of The HISTORY® Channel and WNYC Studios, in collaboration with KOSU and Focus: Black Oklahoma.
Confronting the Past - Sidedoor
Recorded in 2017, "Confronting the Past", on the Smithsonian's "Sidedoor" podcast, tells the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre and why it's important that you know it. The episode also talks about the work the staff at the National Museum of African American History and Culture has done, and is doing, to better understand the events that took place during the Tulsa Race Massacre.

Documentaries and Videos

2019 - Episode 1 - Tulsa Race Massacre clip

On October 20, 2019, HBO's Watchman series opened with a scene depicting the Tulsa Race Massacre. For many viewers, this was the first time they had ever heard of the massacre and the episode has been praised for bringing awareness to a dark and forgotten part of Tulsa's history.

Watchman: Black Wall Street - Behind the Scenes

PBS: Tulsa Race Massacre: 100 Years Later

This PBS documentary covers "the rise of Black Wall Street, the devastation wrought during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, and the dedication of contemporary creatives to build a new legacy." - from the video description.

The following documentaries are not available for free online but are still included in this guide due to their importance. If they are available for streaming, the name of the streaming platform is listed in the link description.

Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street
*Available on HBO Max*
"Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street" is a new documentary that explores the history of Black Wall Street and the violent events of late May and June 1921 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that resulted in the slaughter of hundreds of the city's African American residents. - from the video description.
Tulsa: The Fire and the Forgotten
*Available on OETA Passport or Amazon Prime's PBS Documentaries channel*
"One hundred years after the destruction of the Black-owned Greenwood district of Tulsa, Oklahoma, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history, residents and descendants examine the history of the 1921 tragedy and its aftermath. Through the historical lens of white violence and Black resistance, the film explores vital issues of atonement, reconciliation and reparation." - from the video description.
Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre
*Available on Hulu*
History Channel documentary from 2021 that provides, "an in-depth, sobering look at the tragic events of a century ago. Focusing on a specific period, from the birth of Black Wall Street, to its catastrophic downfall over the course of two bloody days, and finally the fallout and reconstruction." - from the video description.