Oklahoma, this is my home state, a little state, but with a big foot print. My home state Oklahoma, is not considered important, or thought a lot about, especially by people of color. But the truth be known it is one of those little big states. We are home of a lot of well known, and thought about people. Not to mention a lot of history, both black, and just history period. I am letting you know this because this is my state, and I think it has some interesting history.
First of all this is the state that is home of the trail of tears. Our state is home of the Five Civilized Tribes. Probably the largest concentration of Native Americans. We have excellent Indian museums, one of the best being the Gilcrease Museum. I sound like one of those advertisements for visiting somebody's state. The Gilcrease Museum was built and donated by a man that was part Native American that made a fortune in the oil business. By the way the junior high school I went to was named after him. And speaking of Native Americans, one the greatest natural athletics had his home in Oklahoma, that being Jim Thorpe. Get out your history books, and read about this man. He was an all round athlete. Football, baseball, track, and other sports in between. He tore up things at the Olympics. He got cheated though of his medals back in the day, because he was paid a couple of dollars for playing baseball. When I say a couple of dollars that was all it was. It took probably more than fifty years to get them back.
Now there are a lot of bad things that have happened in this state. I didn't write this article to sing praises for Oklahoma. I wrote about it because it is my home state, and it has a rich history. The Klan was big here back in the day. Also this state is home of one of the bloodiest, and biggest race riots in the history of America. It was in the 20's, and it was truly a black day in America. The whole black side of town was burned to the ground. How many blacks were killed is unknown, but it was bloody. Blacks were rounded up, and put in a big concentration camp out at our fairgrounds. A lot of blacks were buried in a big mass grave. It is also suspected that the military bombed blacks from the air. One of the few times this was done in America. In this rioting one of the richest black communities in America was completely destroyed. It was known as Black Wall Street. It is located in my hometown Tulsa. The street was called Greenwood. Eighty years later a special commission is still investigating this riot. The jury is still out, rather anyone will make things right is yet to be seen. If ever in our city visit the Greenwood Culture Center and find out about this riot.
Greenwood, this is a name that blacks should remember and know something about. It was the name for a street that was envied by blacks all across America from the 20's through maybe the 50's. Heard of the Gap band, Tulsa natives. Their name is derived from this street, and two other surrounding blocks in the area. The name means Greenwood, Archer, and Pine. These were the main streets of blacks back in the day in my hometown. These were the happening streets. But none were like Greenwood in the black community. More money was made on this one street than any other black street in America.
Greenwood was a model for black commerce. It was truly a great black business community. Merchants on this block of black Mecca were proud, and accomplished. There were grocery stores, movie theaters, skating rinks, clothing stores, feed stores, cleaners, and more. Proud black merchants, black merchants that were raking in the dough. This street had it going on, anybody who was anybody visited Greenwood back in the day. Politicians, movie stars, sports figures, and whose who of America, came to see Greenwood. If you ever pick up a black history book look for Black Wall Street, and you will find Greenwood. Where was it located in Tulsa, Oklahoma? A place not widely known for having black people.
Speaking of black people, an actress named Alfre Woodard is from my hometown. Her mom, I believe still lives here. One of the famous Globetrotters, Marcus Hanes is from here. Matter of fact one of the boys clubs that was built right across from where I use to live hosted the Harlem Globetrotters. Just because one of the former trotters after he retired worked there. He let us meet the Globetrotters, and it was free, talking about a hook-up. We have a couple of other basketball players that were born and lived here. Wyman Tisdale, and John Starkes, the latter is still actively playing. He also has a couple of businesses here. Wyman Tisdale is currently making a name for himself in Jazz, as an accomplished jazz musician. Speaking of Jazz, if you do come visit Tulsa, check out the Jazz Hall of Fame.
This is one fact about our state that is hard for me to write about. I don't care what color you are, this must hurt you as being black, white, or any color. But the biggest lost of life in a terrorist act on American soil happened in my state. The Oklahoma City bombing. This is probably the thing that made Oklahoma a household name. Probably before this most people didn't know what the heck Oklahoma was, or what it was about. Now you know it for being the heartland. Over two hundred people lost their lives a day in April 1995. It was such a tragic day God sent rain after the bombing. It may been his own tears. This was such a senseless act, in which even innocent children lost their lives. Well before that, the best thing we may have been known for was being the oil capitol of the world. This was a title we lost many years ago. At one time almost all the major oil companies in the United States were headquartered in my hometown Tulsa.
Yes it is a little state, maybe a population of over three million or so. Some major cities like Dallas have more people than we have in our whole state. There is not one city in the whole state that has a population of a million. My hometown and Oklahoma City are the largest two cities, but neither have a million. Tulsa has a little over six hundred thousand, and Oklahoma City has a little over seven hundred thousand. This is a little big state, we also was home of one of the greater, and best known speakers of the House of Representatives. That being Carl Albert, who was from the hometown of my mother, McAlester Oklahoma. Speaking of that little town, which is the home of the largest military ammunition facility in the country. Also did you know that Oklahoma City is the second largest city in area in the United States, word? You probably know more about Oklahoma then you want to know. The author of "Once Upon A Time When We Were Colored", makes his home here. So just remember just because something is not well known, doesn't mean it doesn't have anything going on. So next time you meet a brother or sister from Oklahoma, or Tulsa, remember black is everywhere, even here in Tulsa.
By Chris Brown
Copyright June 2000
