For the first time in the city’s history, Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols has officially designated June 1 as Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day, recognizing the tragic events that devastated the city’s Black community over a century ago.
Nichols, who recently made history as Tulsa’s first Black mayor, signed the executive order exactly 104 years after the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, and 104 days into his tenure.
The declaration marks a monumental shift in Tulsa’s efforts toward racial reconciliation, as the city formally acknowledges the lingering effects of one of the deadliest acts of racial violence in U.S. history.
Mayor Nichols emphasized the importance of publicly recognizing and addressing the historical injustices that have impacted generations of Black Tulsans.
“For too long, this tragic event was erased from public discourse, leaving generations without an understanding of its impact on Tulsa and our nation,” Nichols said. “It’s left to this generation of Tulsans to find a united path forward that acknowledges our history, addresses the harm caused by it, and moves us forward together.”
The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre occurred on May 31 – June 1, 1921, when a white mob attacked Greenwood, Tulsa’s thriving Black business district, known as Black Wall Street. The violent assault left hundreds of Black residents dead, thousands displaced, and the once-flourishing community in ruins.
For decades, the event was omitted from history books and ignored by local and state governments.
Mayor Nichols has pledged to develop a framework aimed at addressing longstanding racial and economic disparities stemming from the massacre. His administration has been working since December 2024 to craft initiatives that will uplift North Tulsa and Greenwood, which have suffered from decades of systemic neglect and underinvestment.
The designation of June 1 as Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day is the first step in that plan, with the full framework set to be unveiled on April 6.
