The Legacy of the Tulsa Race Massacre and Lingering Issues

Abstract

Greenwood is but one example of the decimation of black urban districts that has claimed countless lives over the course of the nation’s history. These incidents, now commonly referred to as “massacres,” have also served as grave impediments to wealth accumulation and its transference to future generations. In the dozens of black communities that experienced similar fates during the early part of the twentieth century, rebuilding homes and businesses was left entirely to the victims, forcing them into debt, or deepening their existing arrears. In this respect, the scope of damage is impossible to ascertain fully. Regardless, the massacre financially harmed future generations, in large part due to insurance company and governmental decisions. Almost any source of wealth that was passed down to descendants (homes, cars, family valuables, and other assets) would have had to occur through post-massacre accumulation, or, in other words, after black families had been essentially wiped out. Survivors were left starting over from scratch; there was little or nothing left to pass on to future generations.