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♪ ♪
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(beeping).
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Deneen: I feel a very strong
spiritual connection to what's
happening in tulsa.
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00:00:53,587 --> 00:00:57,122
You know, I had to be there
when they dug into the ground
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For the first time to search
for black people who were
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Killed in the
1921 tulsa race massacre.
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00:01:05,299 --> 00:01:09,635
Brenda: Today, we remember
our community members who
lost their loved ones,
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Their friends, their neighbors,
who simply wanted
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A piece of the american dream,
but truly received a nightmare.
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Deneen: It's a significant
moment in the history of tulsa
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And a significant
moment in the history
of the united states.
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The united states has been
the landscape for dozens of
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Massacres that many
people don't know about.
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We, in many of our cities were
walking over massacre sites.
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00:01:39,133 --> 00:01:42,968
People don't even know that
a massacre occurred there.
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Nearly 100 years ago,
there were race riots and
massacres across the country.
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But 100 years later,
there's still racism and hatred,
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And that people are
still willing to act on that.
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Guthrie (over tv): We're
gonna start with these
deadly police shootings,
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00:02:00,988 --> 00:02:02,554
Sparking outrage and protests...
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00:02:02,590 --> 00:02:05,924
Reporter (over tv): Loved
ones of breonna taylor
grieving and outraged.
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00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,795
Deneen: And we see the country
going through this anti-racism
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00:02:09,830 --> 00:02:13,499
Movement where black and white
people took to the streets,
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Shouting the slogan
black lives matter
and demanding to be heard.
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But we are the descendants of
a people that endured these
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Atrocities out of this
past of enslavement.
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00:02:31,535 --> 00:02:35,521
Jim crow,
the '40s and '50s and '60s.
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Our people are still standing
and they're still fighting.
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00:02:39,660 --> 00:02:43,629
Our people have
not been defeated.
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00:03:06,353 --> 00:03:08,554
This is an article I
wrote about the day
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00:03:08,589 --> 00:03:12,257
That martin luther king jr.
Met malcolm x.
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00:03:12,293 --> 00:03:13,759
They met in 1964.
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00:03:13,794 --> 00:03:20,332
They met only once in their
life at the us capitol in 1964,
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00:03:20,367 --> 00:03:24,269
And this is a famous
photo of that meeting.
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00:03:25,472 --> 00:03:28,941
So here's a story I
wrote about a'lelia bundles,
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00:03:28,976 --> 00:03:30,542
Who was the
great-granddaughter of
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00:03:30,578 --> 00:03:33,111
Madam cj walker,
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00:03:33,147 --> 00:03:38,217
One of the country's first
black women millionaires.
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I love telling
people's stories.
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I love that as reporters, we can
stop and ask people questions.
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There was a sign in the lobby of
the washington post that said,
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"afflict the comfortable,
and comfort the afflicted."
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And I walked by that sign
for more than 30 years.
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00:04:04,645 --> 00:04:10,215
And so I really believe that
my mission as a black woman is
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To tell the stories of
people who might not be
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Presented in the newspaper.
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And as a black reporter, I
think it's so important that
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Our stories be told and
telling the stories of the
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History of this country
that has tried to deny
black people citizenship.
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And even deny their
very existence as humans.
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I've been doing this
reporting a long time
writing about black history.
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00:04:54,495 --> 00:05:00,265
And then I'm astounded with
the progress that black people
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00:05:00,301 --> 00:05:04,002
Made just years out of
enslavement during
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00:05:04,038 --> 00:05:07,739
The reconstruction period
that comes after the
end of the civil war,
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00:05:08,709 --> 00:05:11,843
How they were able to
establish the black towns
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And universities,
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00:05:14,748 --> 00:05:18,850
And build wealth,
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Become doctors and
lawyers and journalists,
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00:05:21,622 --> 00:05:23,989
And build the black press.
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00:05:24,024 --> 00:05:27,693
Taft (over radio): The negro
in the 40 years since he
was freed from slavery
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Has made remarkable progress.
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00:05:30,664 --> 00:05:34,966
He is becoming a more
and more valuable member
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Of the community
in which he lives.
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Deneen: When I look at the
footage of the black families
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That were so prosperous
in towns like tulsa
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Before the massacre,
there's a real sense
of pride,
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00:05:49,083 --> 00:05:53,185
But also there's
this foreboding,
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00:05:53,220 --> 00:05:59,057
This sense of knowing that
soon it will all be destroyed.
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So there's a sadness
that comes with that.
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(sirens).
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Reporter (over tv): Angry mobs
set scores of fires in the
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Predominantly black south
central part of the city.
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There were so many blazes,
the fire department couldn't
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Respond to all the calls
and just let some buildings
burn to the ground.
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Firemen reported people were
shooting at them and at least
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Two firefighters were wounded.
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Looting broke out in many
neighborhoods before police
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Moved in and began
rounding up suspects.
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Cameron: A lot of
americans think today,
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If they think of
the term race riot,
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They're thinking of
los angeles in the 90s.
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And, you know,
african-american kids breaking
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Into shoe stores
and things like that.
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But the truth is that in the
breadth of american history,
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The vast majority of
race riots were white mobs
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Attacking black people,
individuals or communities.
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00:07:02,122 --> 00:07:05,891
Zechariah: See, there was
a great migration of
southerners to the north.
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There were a lot
of differences.
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00:07:09,463 --> 00:07:12,597
You had no segregated
transportation and,
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Uh, you could go and eat
anywhere you wanted to.
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Cameron: During this period,
they're working in the
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Factories and setting
up their own businesses.
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In a relative sense,
they had more freedom.
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00:07:26,947 --> 00:07:30,115
However, because they
started to succeed and those
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Communities grew, that became
a point of real tension.
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And then eventually
riots erupted.
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Deneen: East st. Louis
occurred in 1917 and it
was a horrific massacre.
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Some historians believe
that it was prompted
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By white workers who believed
that black men were taking
jobs that they deserve.
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00:08:03,550 --> 00:08:06,384
White mobs descended
on black neighborhoods,
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Pulling black people
off of street cars,
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00:08:10,390 --> 00:08:13,859
Beating them with their fist,
clubbing them and killing
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Black people indiscriminately.
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It was horrendous
and barbaric.
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Cameron: The naacp
were so horrified by
what had happened,
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They decided to organize
a silent March in which
they were saying,
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"wake up america,
you need to wake up to this."
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James: We to america.
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How would you
have us, as we are?
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Or sinking 'neath
the load we bear?
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Our eyes fixed forward.
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On a star?
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Or.
Gazing empty at despair?
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Cameron: The naacp stood up
and started to organize on
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A level that african-americans
had not done before and really
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Set the stage for what became
the civil rights movement.
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People like james
weldon johnson,
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00:09:12,986 --> 00:09:18,623
W.E. Du bois, walter
white recruited tens of
thousands of new members.
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And so african-americans
started to wake up and say,
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"we deserve the same rights
as every other person in this
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Country and we
have earned it."
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James: Strong.
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Willing sinews in your wings?
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Or. Tightening
chains about your feet?
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♪ johnny get you gun
get your gun, get your gun ♪
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♪ take it on the run,
on the run, on the run ♪♪
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Celillianne: In world war I,
we have segregated military,
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But black people are
fighting in this war.
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They have gone
overseas to fight.
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Some even fought
for the french.
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♪ hurry right away,
no delay, go today ♪
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00:10:03,637 --> 00:10:05,470
♪ make your daddy glad ♪♪
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Celillianne: And they were
very, very successful.
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00:10:07,474 --> 00:10:10,208
There was a group called
the harlem hell fighters
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00:10:10,243 --> 00:10:15,180
And they received
accolades about their
courage and their success.
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♪ over there, over there ♪
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00:10:19,052 --> 00:10:22,887
♪ send the word,
send the word, over there ♪
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♪ that the yanks are coming ♪♪
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Celillianne: So when they
come back to this country,
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They have a sense that they
have fought for their country,
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Died for the
country in many cases,
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And that their country
will treat them differently
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00:11:17,377 --> 00:11:19,744
John: There are many
levels of tension created
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00:11:19,780 --> 00:11:23,682
With the african-american
veterans returning from europe.
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It is felt by the
african-americans that they
experienced freedom.
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00:11:28,255 --> 00:11:32,524
They did not live in
a segregated society
while they were abroad.
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And they came back defiant
that they had fought and died
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00:11:38,065 --> 00:11:42,267
For democracy abroad, and
they were not going to accept
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Second class citizenship
in the united states.
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C.R.: We know that at the
end of the first world war,
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There was a great
deal of white anxiety,
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Resentment, anger
toward black people.
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00:12:09,596 --> 00:12:14,065
It appears as though anytime
there is a perception that
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Black people are
rising economically,
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Socially, there are those
individuals and forces that
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00:12:21,208 --> 00:12:24,542
Seek to put a stop to it.
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Cameron: 1919, the
summer and fall of 1919,
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00:12:31,251 --> 00:12:36,287
Jump out as by far,
the worst period of
that kind of violence.
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Deneen: Red summer is a
term that was coined by
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00:12:44,131 --> 00:12:50,135
James weldon johnson, who
was an executive secretary
of the naacp.
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00:12:50,170 --> 00:12:54,973
And he called this reign of
terror "red summer" because he
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Said it best described the
blood that ran in the streets.
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00:13:00,347 --> 00:13:04,415
That summer of 1919,
as many as 26 cities,
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00:13:04,451 --> 00:13:08,820
Where the sites where
these massacres and
race riots occurred.
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00:13:25,872 --> 00:13:28,773
Cameron: In omaha, there was
an allegation that a man named
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00:13:28,809 --> 00:13:32,110
William brown had
raped a white woman.
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00:13:32,145 --> 00:13:37,615
He's arrested and a mob
starts to form outside
of the courthouse.
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00:13:39,152 --> 00:13:41,920
Law enforcement said,
"we're not going to hand
this person over."
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And the mob just got
louder and bigger.
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And they started
shooting into the building.
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They started to set
fires at the doorways.
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00:13:50,397 --> 00:13:52,697
People waving american flags.
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00:13:52,732 --> 00:13:55,600
I mean, it was considered some
sort of patriotic act that
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They were
attacking a us courthouse.
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00:14:04,244 --> 00:14:06,477
Deneen: They scale the
walls of the courthouse,
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00:14:06,513 --> 00:14:10,148
Demanding the
blood of a black man.
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00:14:10,183 --> 00:14:12,851
The mayor who is
liberal minded,
180
00:14:12,886 --> 00:14:16,588
Tries to intervene and keep
the mob from lynching him.
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00:14:16,623 --> 00:14:20,525
They nearly tear the
white mayor apart.
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00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:26,564
And finally, they pulled brown
to the mob and they hang him.
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00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,100
They shoot him more
than 100 times.
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00:14:29,135 --> 00:14:31,736
And then finally
someone cuts the rope.
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00:14:31,771 --> 00:14:35,740
His body drops
to the pavement.
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They beat him.
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00:14:37,577 --> 00:14:39,410
They spit on him.
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They dismember him.
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00:14:42,215 --> 00:14:44,349
And then someone
grabs a new rope,
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00:14:44,384 --> 00:14:48,853
Ties him to the back of a
car and then they pull
him through the streets.
191
00:14:48,889 --> 00:14:52,790
And then they pour
kerosene on his body.
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00:14:54,961 --> 00:14:57,462
What you have to know is
many of these massacres,
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00:14:57,497 --> 00:15:00,431
All it took was a rumor.
194
00:15:00,467 --> 00:15:03,468
And then the
rumor would spread.
195
00:15:03,503 --> 00:15:05,570
Cameron: Did he
commit that crime?
196
00:15:05,605 --> 00:15:09,040
And this is an important
part of all of the red summer.
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00:15:09,075 --> 00:15:11,242
We'll never know,
you know why?
198
00:15:11,278 --> 00:15:14,045
'cause he was never,
there was never a trial.
199
00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:17,081
There was this sense
among white people,
200
00:15:17,117 --> 00:15:19,217
Whether it was up
in omaha, nebraska
201
00:15:19,252 --> 00:15:24,088
Or down in mississippi,
that extrajudicial
killing is justified.
202
00:15:40,123 --> 00:15:46,861
Deneen: So, this is
the story that I wrote
in 2018 about tulsa.
203
00:15:47,597 --> 00:15:50,098
The headline says,
"amid gentrification,
204
00:15:50,133 --> 00:15:54,369
A race massacre
still haunts tulsa.
205
00:15:54,404 --> 00:15:58,873
And the story really
questions why
206
00:15:58,908 --> 00:16:02,777
An investigation that
was opened in 1998
207
00:16:02,812 --> 00:16:07,915
Was closed without physically
digging for mass graves.
208
00:16:09,019 --> 00:16:12,153
As a writer, there comes a
certain point in the research
209
00:16:12,188 --> 00:16:17,892
When you've really understand
the story at a profound level.
210
00:16:17,927 --> 00:16:21,729
This story about the
tulsa race massacre
goes to the top
211
00:16:21,765 --> 00:16:26,367
Of the list of the stories
that I've written in my career
212
00:16:26,403 --> 00:16:30,538
At the post, and I feel that
I was part of that process
213
00:16:30,573 --> 00:16:35,843
Of helping to uncover a
piece of the truth of
214
00:16:35,879 --> 00:16:38,946
What happened in the massacre.
215
00:16:38,982 --> 00:16:44,218
The survivors of the race
massacre and activists in tulsa
216
00:16:44,254 --> 00:16:49,757
Have been telling
their stories for 20 years,
for 30 years.
217
00:16:49,793 --> 00:16:53,995
So I think what they do
in tulsa is incredible.
218
00:16:54,030 --> 00:17:00,234
I'm just adding a piece of
that story to the narrative.
219
00:17:02,772 --> 00:17:04,238
(phone rings).
220
00:17:04,274 --> 00:17:05,940
Robert: Historic
vernon ame church.
221
00:17:05,975 --> 00:17:10,378
Caller (over phone): Dr. Turner
talked about mass grave reaction
222
00:17:10,413 --> 00:17:12,447
That we're doing for tonight.
223
00:17:12,482 --> 00:17:16,651
But I was wondering, will dr.
Turner be available for a live
224
00:17:16,686 --> 00:17:21,189
Interview at 6:00 p.M.,
just to give an update?
225
00:17:21,224 --> 00:17:24,592
Robert: Sure.
Let me check with
dr. Turner first.
226
00:17:24,627 --> 00:17:26,361
Caller (over phone): Okay, okay.
227
00:17:26,396 --> 00:17:28,262
Robert: You're talking to him.
228
00:17:28,298 --> 00:17:30,865
Caller (over phone): Oh, hi.
229
00:17:30,900 --> 00:17:32,100
Robert: Hey, how you doing?
230
00:17:32,135 --> 00:17:33,735
I'm sorry, I just want, I
needed a good laugh today.
231
00:17:33,770 --> 00:17:34,669
Caller (over phone): No,
you're just fine.
232
00:17:34,704 --> 00:17:36,204
I thought it was you,
but I'm like,
233
00:17:36,239 --> 00:17:38,473
"I'm not going to assume."
234
00:17:38,508 --> 00:17:40,808
Robert: Yeah, I
answer my own call.
235
00:17:40,844 --> 00:17:45,113
I have, you know, the
city hall protest at
4:30, and.
236
00:17:45,148 --> 00:17:46,147
Caller (over phone): Yeah.
237
00:17:46,182 --> 00:17:50,418
Robert: We are, we March,
we're marching here
238
00:17:50,453 --> 00:17:54,288
Afterwards, and we're
doing a letter writing
campaign to the council.
239
00:17:54,324 --> 00:17:56,724
So depending on
what time that ends,
240
00:17:56,760 --> 00:18:00,428
I'm sure I can be
available at 6:00.
241
00:18:00,463 --> 00:18:04,132
So I came to tulsa 2017,
and, you know,
242
00:18:04,167 --> 00:18:05,933
I thought I was
just gonna be here to,
243
00:18:05,969 --> 00:18:12,573
Um, you know, kiss babies,
go to baby showers,
244
00:18:12,609 --> 00:18:16,110
Do weddings, do baptisms,
stuff like that, you know.
245
00:18:16,146 --> 00:18:20,314
I really didn't
come to tulsa to be,
like, an activist.
246
00:18:20,350 --> 00:18:23,651
"dear mayor g.T. Bynum,"
and I'm writing one to
each of the council people.
247
00:18:23,686 --> 00:18:26,788
"as you know, this was
done nearly 100 years ago.
248
00:18:26,823 --> 00:18:29,323
And to this date, nothing
has been done by the city
249
00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:34,028
To compensate the families, nor
prosecute the perpetrators."
250
00:18:36,232 --> 00:18:41,936
The blame of the 1921
race massacre is at
the feet of the city
251
00:18:41,971 --> 00:18:47,241
And those who were in charge
of the city at that time.
252
00:18:48,812 --> 00:18:52,213
That is a sobering fact
that you not only can rob,
253
00:18:52,248 --> 00:18:57,618
Burn, kill people, but you
don't even wanna give them the
254
00:18:57,654 --> 00:19:01,222
Dignity of having
a proper burial.
255
00:19:01,925 --> 00:19:06,828
I've been going every day
of the excavation to pray,
256
00:19:06,863 --> 00:19:10,364
And I talked to god
about leading us,
257
00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:14,268
Letting them know
that we are looking.
258
00:19:15,271 --> 00:19:18,356
And I pray that we find them.
259
00:19:26,082 --> 00:19:27,682
Phoebe: Oh, good
afternoon everyone,
260
00:19:27,717 --> 00:19:29,417
My name is
phoebe stubblefield.
261
00:19:29,452 --> 00:19:31,085
As a forensic anthropologist,
I will be looking
262
00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:33,654
At the skeletal remains
for many features.
263
00:19:33,690 --> 00:19:37,225
But for this test excavation,
I'll be focusing on,
264
00:19:37,260 --> 00:19:39,227
Are there signs of trauma?
265
00:19:39,262 --> 00:19:44,365
If we find it right away,
our question may be
answered fairly quickly.
266
00:19:46,236 --> 00:19:49,670
How did I feel when
we first broke ground?
267
00:19:49,706 --> 00:19:54,642
Extra thankful that we
are getting to this point.
268
00:19:54,677 --> 00:19:58,746
And I have relatives that lost
their house in the massacre.
269
00:19:58,781 --> 00:20:04,151
It's the first stage of some
kind of peace for the many
270
00:20:04,187 --> 00:20:06,821
Tulsans that are asking
questions about what happened
271
00:20:06,856 --> 00:20:09,223
To these individuals.
272
00:20:09,259 --> 00:20:11,459
This is that
moment when tulsa said,
273
00:20:11,494 --> 00:20:16,597
"we're coming clean, we're
following up finally on
our own history."
274
00:20:19,669 --> 00:20:21,669
Celillianne: The real true
healing for us as a people is
275
00:20:21,704 --> 00:20:24,238
That when we do
look at ourselves,
276
00:20:24,274 --> 00:20:27,942
And for the
ancestors in particular.
277
00:20:27,977 --> 00:20:29,977
But for them, we are not here.
278
00:20:30,013 --> 00:20:35,149
But for them, we are not here.
279
00:20:37,120 --> 00:20:39,887
So all that they
endured, went through,
280
00:20:39,923 --> 00:20:44,325
Died for, fought for,
lived for and loved for.
281
00:20:44,360 --> 00:20:47,795
But for them, we are not here.
282
00:20:49,499 --> 00:20:52,567
Jimmie lily: Tulsa was at the
time of the riot called
283
00:20:52,602 --> 00:20:54,902
The oil capital of the world.
284
00:20:54,938 --> 00:21:00,174
People poured in there from
all over to get those jobs that
285
00:21:00,209 --> 00:21:03,844
The oil industry had available.
286
00:21:13,990 --> 00:21:15,356
Eldoris: We had our doctors.
287
00:21:22,732 --> 00:21:25,266
Kavin: I am a
descendant of isaac evitt,
288
00:21:25,301 --> 00:21:27,768
Who was my great grandfather.
289
00:21:27,804 --> 00:21:33,574
Who owned the zulu lounge,
just a little club,
just a juke joint.
290
00:21:35,578 --> 00:21:37,945
John: My grandfather,
buck culbert franklin,
291
00:21:37,981 --> 00:21:43,184
In February 1921, moves
to tulsa and establishes
292
00:21:43,219 --> 00:21:46,821
A law firm with two
other attorneys.
293
00:21:46,856 --> 00:21:52,093
And there's a rich
set of businesses in
tulsa at that time.
294
00:21:52,695 --> 00:21:54,428
Regina: My great
grandfather, james henry,
295
00:21:54,464 --> 00:21:56,864
Was the business
manager for the tulsa star,
296
00:21:56,899 --> 00:21:59,266
Which was the black newspaper.
297
00:21:59,302 --> 00:22:03,571
I think what he saw was
that sense of industry,
298
00:22:03,606 --> 00:22:09,343
And you did it independent
of anybody's interference.
299
00:22:09,379 --> 00:22:12,513
You did it independent of
anybody's oppression and you
300
00:22:12,548 --> 00:22:15,082
Did it quite frankly because
there was segregation and
301
00:22:15,118 --> 00:22:18,052
Folks had to
depend on each other.
302
00:22:22,291 --> 00:22:25,393
Goodwin: Tulsa proved
that the whole idea
303
00:22:25,428 --> 00:22:31,232
Of white superiority was a myth,
was a big lie.
304
00:22:31,734 --> 00:22:34,869
And it proved that people
with assets and with education
305
00:22:34,904 --> 00:22:40,274
Could do as well as anyone
else in similar circumstances.
306
00:22:40,309 --> 00:22:44,412
Robert: And that's one of
the curses of the ideology
of white supremacy.
307
00:22:44,447 --> 00:22:47,915
Which is, you make an
idol out of whiteness,
308
00:22:47,950 --> 00:22:53,187
And whiteness has to always
be superior to everybody else.
309
00:22:53,222 --> 00:22:59,260
And so, what does a lie do
when it confronts the truth?
310
00:22:59,295 --> 00:23:00,394
Right?
311
00:23:00,430 --> 00:23:04,398
It either
awakens to the truth,
312
00:23:04,434 --> 00:23:08,969
Or it destroys the truth
313
00:23:09,005 --> 00:23:12,440
And continues to
believe the lie.
314
00:23:26,989 --> 00:23:29,123
C.R.: Woodrow wilson is
alleged to have said that
315
00:23:29,158 --> 00:23:32,727
Birth of a nation was
like writing history
with lightning.
316
00:23:32,762 --> 00:23:36,163
His one regret was
that it was also true.
317
00:23:40,670 --> 00:23:43,971
The showing of birth of a nation
in the white house was
318
00:23:44,006 --> 00:23:47,975
A love song to
the ku klux klan.
319
00:23:49,545 --> 00:23:52,780
Celillianne: And that film
glorifies the klan and its
320
00:23:52,799 --> 00:23:55,816
Role in the country of
protecting the virtues of the
321
00:23:55,852 --> 00:24:00,187
White woman who was
probably going to be
attacked by black men.
322
00:24:01,124 --> 00:24:03,824
And this is part of what
continues to be the theme,
323
00:24:03,860 --> 00:24:06,827
If you will, regarding
what happens in 1919,
324
00:24:06,863 --> 00:24:10,197
And the start of these riots.
325
00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:28,115
We have in washington, d.C.,
a series of events from
326
00:24:28,151 --> 00:24:32,419
June 30, 1919 to July 18, 1919.
327
00:24:32,455 --> 00:24:37,358
Three or four white women
reported incidents in which
328
00:24:37,393 --> 00:24:42,196
They were attacked,
accosted in some way.
329
00:24:42,231 --> 00:24:46,400
Challenged by men who
were described as black.
330
00:24:47,837 --> 00:24:52,239
Deneen: Many people say that
it began with false accusation
331
00:24:52,275 --> 00:24:56,911
By a white woman that
black men had assaulted her.
332
00:24:57,446 --> 00:25:02,783
There are sailors and soldiers
in town from world war I,
333
00:25:02,819 --> 00:25:09,323
They decide that they
will defend the
virtue of this woman.
334
00:25:09,358 --> 00:25:14,061
They began pulling black people
off of street cars in d.C.
335
00:25:14,096 --> 00:25:16,430
And beating them.
336
00:25:17,967 --> 00:25:20,568
C.R.: It is dangerous
for black people to
be on the streets.
337
00:25:20,603 --> 00:25:25,472
There are assaults by whites
on blacks on pennsylvania
avenue northwest.
338
00:25:25,508 --> 00:25:29,443
A black man is beaten in
front of the white house.
339
00:25:29,478 --> 00:25:31,612
Celillianne: And the media
coverage of what is going on
340
00:25:31,647 --> 00:25:34,782
Adds or compounds
to the problem.
341
00:25:37,253 --> 00:25:39,787
Deneen: We know that the
washington post printed a
342
00:25:39,822 --> 00:25:44,725
Headline calling for the
mobilization of white mobs.
343
00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:50,064
And we know that other
newspapers across the country
344
00:25:50,099 --> 00:25:54,902
Reprinted the story that ran
in the washington post during
345
00:25:54,937 --> 00:25:57,938
That race riot of 1919.
346
00:25:57,974 --> 00:26:00,507
Keyon: We have your, what,
you see two black people?
347
00:26:00,543 --> 00:26:03,277
Miya: No, I'm not letting
him walk away with my phone!
348
00:26:04,413 --> 00:26:07,481
Celillianne: Sadly, we have
red summer type activity in
349
00:26:07,516 --> 00:26:11,952
This country now, in terms of
white women complaining about
350
00:26:11,988 --> 00:26:17,458
Black people who are engaged
in legal human behaviors.
351
00:26:17,994 --> 00:26:19,660
Woman: You cannot
sleep in that room.
352
00:26:19,695 --> 00:26:22,429
Celillianne: A young
woman who is sleeping in
her dormitory lounge.
353
00:26:22,465 --> 00:26:24,348
Officer: We need to make
sure that you belong here.
354
00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:26,233
Celillianne: A white
woman called the police.
355
00:26:26,269 --> 00:26:28,168
A family that's
barbecuing in the park.
356
00:26:28,204 --> 00:26:30,137
Jennifer: And charcoal
grills are not allowed here.
357
00:26:30,172 --> 00:26:32,373
Celillianne: A white
woman calls the police.
358
00:26:32,408 --> 00:26:35,776
In central park, a
man is birdwatching.
359
00:26:35,811 --> 00:26:38,445
He tells a white woman that
she's not allowed to walk her
360
00:26:38,481 --> 00:26:40,814
Dog where she's
walking the dog.
361
00:26:40,850 --> 00:26:42,483
And then she threatens him.
362
00:26:42,518 --> 00:26:43,817
Amy: I'm gonna tell them
there's an african-american
363
00:26:43,853 --> 00:26:45,286
Man threatening my life.
364
00:26:45,321 --> 00:26:47,087
Christian: Please tell
them whatever you like.
365
00:26:47,123 --> 00:26:49,123
Amy: I'm being threatened
by a man in the ramble,
366
00:26:49,158 --> 00:26:51,358
Please send a cop immediately!
367
00:26:51,394 --> 00:26:53,427
Celillianne: It's almost as if
the white population functions
368
00:26:53,462 --> 00:26:55,996
As deputy for the police.
369
00:26:56,032 --> 00:26:57,631
You can be
questioned at any time.
370
00:26:57,667 --> 00:26:59,099
Who are you?
Why are you here?
371
00:26:59,135 --> 00:27:00,501
What is your name?
372
00:27:00,536 --> 00:27:04,805
While it's not massacres,
it's a massacre of the spirit.
373
00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:07,975
Deneen: And this
editorial from 1919,
374
00:27:08,010 --> 00:27:12,346
The headline is
"the rights of the
black man."
375
00:27:12,748 --> 00:27:16,717
"the time has come in the
history of the colored americans
376
00:27:16,752 --> 00:27:22,323
To protect themselves against
the cowardly attacks of a mob,
377
00:27:22,358 --> 00:27:25,793
No matter what its
nationality may be.
378
00:27:25,828 --> 00:27:30,597
The black man is loyal to
his country and his flag.
379
00:27:30,633 --> 00:27:34,335
And when his
country fails him,
380
00:27:34,370 --> 00:27:36,537
Fails to protect him?
381
00:27:36,572 --> 00:27:39,506
He means to protect himself."
382
00:27:39,542 --> 00:27:43,744
The washington bee was
a phenomenal black
owned newspaper.
383
00:27:43,779 --> 00:27:47,915
Its editor was what
they called a "race man."
384
00:27:47,950 --> 00:27:54,621
So he used the newspaper
to advocate for justice
for black people.
385
00:27:56,459 --> 00:27:59,994
C.R.: The black newspapers
performed heroically during
386
00:28:00,029 --> 00:28:04,331
The red summer, and they
provide an understanding of a
387
00:28:04,367 --> 00:28:09,737
Complex series of
events that had life
or death consequences.
388
00:28:11,941 --> 00:28:13,907
Celillianne: Black veterans
who had just returned from
389
00:28:13,943 --> 00:28:19,580
World war I were determined
to protect their property
and their families.
390
00:28:22,985 --> 00:28:26,253
C.R.: Black people threw
bricks from the tops of houses
391
00:28:26,288 --> 00:28:29,456
And apartment buildings.
392
00:28:30,626 --> 00:28:33,127
Whites were repulsed
from southwest altogether,
393
00:28:33,162 --> 00:28:36,130
And as they came
up seventh street,
394
00:28:36,165 --> 00:28:39,500
They met stout resistance
by black people,
395
00:28:39,518 --> 00:28:41,635
People firing back.
396
00:28:41,670 --> 00:28:45,105
They would not surrender.
397
00:28:47,043 --> 00:28:50,077
Celillianne: And it's not
until it escalates to this level
398
00:28:50,112 --> 00:28:54,648
That approximately 2,000
national guard are sent
there to quash it.
399
00:28:55,985 --> 00:28:59,586
But ultimately what does
quash it is a rainstorm.
400
00:29:00,289 --> 00:29:02,790
C.R.: A man named
william canfield marshall
401
00:29:02,825 --> 00:29:08,162
Found himself in d. C.
During the race massacre.
402
00:29:08,180 --> 00:29:13,600
And he told his son
thurgood marshall what
he had gone through.
403
00:29:13,636 --> 00:29:18,338
And thurgood marshall
would say many years later
he had a hell of a time.
404
00:29:18,374 --> 00:29:22,342
But he would also note proudly
that even though they don't
405
00:29:22,378 --> 00:29:27,081
Get credit for it,
but the negroes won
the battle that day.
406
00:29:27,116 --> 00:29:30,184
They won that one.
407
00:29:30,219 --> 00:29:34,688
The resistance seen and
showed by black people in the
408
00:29:34,723 --> 00:29:39,593
Nation's capital became a
hallmark of black resistance
across the country.
409
00:29:54,460 --> 00:29:58,428
Sterling: I talk to old
lem and old lem said.
410
00:29:58,464 --> 00:30:01,965
They weigh the cotton,
they store the corn.
411
00:30:02,001 --> 00:30:06,170
We only good enough
to work the rows.
412
00:30:06,205 --> 00:30:09,206
They run the commissary,
they keep the books.
413
00:30:09,241 --> 00:30:13,110
We got to be
grateful for being cheated.
414
00:30:14,180 --> 00:30:15,779
They make our figgers.
415
00:30:15,815 --> 00:30:17,347
Turn somersets.
416
00:30:17,383 --> 00:30:18,982
We buck in the middle say.
417
00:30:19,018 --> 00:30:21,251
Thank you, sir.
418
00:30:21,287 --> 00:30:23,453
They don't come by ones.
419
00:30:23,489 --> 00:30:25,923
They don't come by twos, but.
420
00:30:25,958 --> 00:30:29,927
They come by tens.
421
00:30:41,874 --> 00:30:43,674
Brian: Before the
summer of 1919,
422
00:30:43,709 --> 00:30:46,210
Elaine was a fairly new town.
423
00:30:46,245 --> 00:30:49,379
Much of the land was
bought in large tracts
424
00:30:49,415 --> 00:30:54,518
By plantation owners who
were trying to figure out
how to eke out a profit.
425
00:30:54,553 --> 00:30:57,855
Blacks in the region were
in servitude to whites
426
00:30:57,890 --> 00:31:03,160
Just as they had been
during antebellum slavery.
427
00:31:04,063 --> 00:31:10,234
Immediately following the war,
the price of cotton skyrocketed.
428
00:31:13,572 --> 00:31:17,207
The crops are how the
blacks were able to eke
out their survival.
429
00:31:17,243 --> 00:31:20,978
And this gave them a unique
opportunity to make a lot of
430
00:31:21,013 --> 00:31:24,214
Money very, very quickly.
431
00:31:32,491 --> 00:31:36,426
But regardless of how much
of a boom that they produced,
432
00:31:36,462 --> 00:31:39,680
They were never going
to be given the shares.
433
00:31:44,937 --> 00:31:49,273
Deneen: In September of 1919
black farmers decided
434
00:31:49,308 --> 00:31:54,978
To organize to get better
prices for their crop.
435
00:31:57,917 --> 00:32:04,688
Late September sharecroppers
are meeting inside this
church in hoop spur.
436
00:32:04,723 --> 00:32:06,590
Miller: They know that
there might be problems.
437
00:32:06,625 --> 00:32:09,226
So they posted a couple
sentries out front because
438
00:32:09,261 --> 00:32:12,095
They were told that if
they tried to unionize,
439
00:32:12,131 --> 00:32:14,531
There would be trouble.
440
00:32:14,566 --> 00:32:18,702
Deneen: The story varies
as to what happens next.
441
00:32:18,737 --> 00:32:20,103
Lisa: From my
grandmother's stories,
442
00:32:20,139 --> 00:32:22,839
There were white men and law
enforcement that pulled up to
443
00:32:22,875 --> 00:32:27,144
The church that night,
but they pull up and they
just start shooting.
444
00:32:27,813 --> 00:32:28,979
Brian: The police officers
would have a different
445
00:32:29,014 --> 00:32:32,983
Narrative that
they were fired upon.
446
00:32:33,619 --> 00:32:36,386
Deneen: There may have been
two black veterans who fired
447
00:32:36,422 --> 00:32:40,657
Out to defend those
inside the church.
448
00:32:40,693 --> 00:32:44,027
One white man is killed.
449
00:32:44,063 --> 00:32:49,433
Word goes out at the
black people in elaine
are in an insurrection.
450
00:32:49,468 --> 00:32:50,968
They're uprising.
451
00:32:51,603 --> 00:32:54,771
Brian: Whites poured in
from the neighboring counties.
452
00:32:54,807 --> 00:32:58,442
All looking for some sense of
reprisal for the death of the
453
00:32:58,477 --> 00:33:03,513
Police officer that had been
shot outside of hoops spur.
454
00:33:05,651 --> 00:33:09,586
Miller: Word got out that
there was a riot going on in
455
00:33:09,621 --> 00:33:12,856
Which black people were going
into white people's houses,
456
00:33:12,891 --> 00:33:14,324
Pulling them out
and killing them.
457
00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:16,193
All of which was a lie.
458
00:33:16,862 --> 00:33:20,497
The local newspaper was
one of the biggest
perpetuators of that lie.
459
00:33:21,500 --> 00:33:25,502
Lisa: And that set off three
days of what I'd say is just
460
00:33:25,537 --> 00:33:28,805
Pure carnage, murder.
461
00:33:34,413 --> 00:33:39,483
Deneen: There is this
photo from the elaine, arkansas
462
00:33:39,518 --> 00:33:44,388
Massacre that still haunts me.
463
00:33:44,423 --> 00:33:48,225
A young black woman who lived
in elaine is shot in the neck
464
00:33:48,260 --> 00:33:50,527
By the white mob.
465
00:33:50,562 --> 00:33:54,664
Her skirt is pulled up in
her bare bottom is showing
466
00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:56,900
Directly toward the camera.
467
00:33:56,935 --> 00:33:59,636
There's no
dignity in her death.
468
00:33:59,671 --> 00:34:02,839
I mean, I've been doing this
reporting a long time writing
469
00:34:02,875 --> 00:34:05,509
About the tragedy
in black history,
470
00:34:05,544 --> 00:34:10,947
But this particular picture
is seared into my memory.
471
00:34:11,350 --> 00:34:15,018
It's a terrible thing
that happened in
elaine, arkansas.
472
00:34:15,054 --> 00:34:17,521
Tell me where we
are right here.
473
00:34:17,556 --> 00:34:21,024
Lenora: This location
is called hoops spur.
474
00:34:21,060 --> 00:34:26,663
Where the church
house once stood.
475
00:34:26,698 --> 00:34:29,599
James: When it started, it
just spread like wildfire.
476
00:34:29,635 --> 00:34:32,202
You know, my grandpa said
white people were coming from
477
00:34:32,237 --> 00:34:33,570
Mississippi, oklahoma.
478
00:34:33,605 --> 00:34:35,872
They was coming from
all around just to
kill black people.
479
00:34:35,908 --> 00:34:37,107
Lenora: Tennessee, yes.
480
00:34:37,142 --> 00:34:39,176
Deneen: Black people
lived all over, right?
James: Yeah.
481
00:34:39,211 --> 00:34:42,079
Lenora: Yes.
There were houses all around.
So many.
482
00:34:42,114 --> 00:34:46,383
There's so many that's
not in that place anymore.
483
00:34:46,418 --> 00:34:49,619
Deneen: And so you think the
bodies are buried somewhere
484
00:34:49,655 --> 00:34:51,021
In a mass grave down there?
485
00:34:51,056 --> 00:34:53,090
James: My grandmother told
me a lot of people just got
486
00:34:53,125 --> 00:34:57,761
Buried where they were
because it took so long to
kind of clear everything up.
487
00:34:57,796 --> 00:35:00,564
And they just
buried them right there.
488
00:35:00,599 --> 00:35:03,900
So it's a lot of stories.
489
00:35:03,936 --> 00:35:07,104
Deneen: I mean, this land
holds a lot of pain here.
490
00:35:07,139 --> 00:35:08,805
Lenora: A lot of pain.
491
00:35:09,274 --> 00:35:12,642
There's still a lot of stigma,
a lot of repercussions from
492
00:35:12,678 --> 00:35:16,513
That massacre that
happened back then.
493
00:35:25,424 --> 00:35:28,925
Miller: There was an article
in the arkansas gazette
494
00:35:28,961 --> 00:35:33,797
Something like,
"evaluating the elaine riot."
495
00:35:33,832 --> 00:35:36,867
My father, I saw him
reading the newspaper.
496
00:35:37,603 --> 00:35:39,769
I looked at him and I said,
"daddy, what's wrong?"
497
00:35:40,172 --> 00:35:45,942
And he said, "this person
says that the elaine riot
was fiction."
498
00:35:45,978 --> 00:35:48,845
And I said, "yeah, well, okay,"
because I'd never heard of it,
499
00:35:48,881 --> 00:35:50,614
And this is
high school.
500
00:35:50,649 --> 00:35:55,352
And he says, "well, you know,
I had four uncles who were
killed down at elaine."
501
00:35:56,421 --> 00:36:02,592
Dr. Johnston, my great
uncle, had three brothers.
502
00:36:02,628 --> 00:36:08,198
Brian: The johnson brothers
were an affluent family.
503
00:36:08,233 --> 00:36:12,435
They were among the wealthiest
blacks in the county.
504
00:36:13,672 --> 00:36:20,177
The youngest brother had gone
off and fought in world war I
and had just returned.
505
00:36:22,447 --> 00:36:25,482
Miller: They went down
south of elaine to go hunting,
506
00:36:25,517 --> 00:36:31,321
Which was a typical
event for brothers back
in the early 1900s.
507
00:36:31,356 --> 00:36:32,856
They were coming
out of the woods.
508
00:36:32,891 --> 00:36:37,060
The day after the
shooting at hoops spur.
509
00:36:37,529 --> 00:36:42,599
My great uncles were not
involved in any rioting.
510
00:36:42,634 --> 00:36:45,769
They never made
it back to helena.
511
00:36:45,804 --> 00:36:48,205
Brian: They were found
on the side of the road,
512
00:36:48,240 --> 00:36:52,042
All four of them,
badly butchered.
513
00:36:52,077 --> 00:36:57,514
The mother brings the bodies
to the sheriff and she is told
514
00:36:57,549 --> 00:37:02,385
That the men had shot one of
the white men and killed him.
515
00:37:02,421 --> 00:37:07,090
And in return,
the mob shot them.
516
00:37:07,793 --> 00:37:14,231
The mother asks that they
be buried in a single shaft.
517
00:37:14,266 --> 00:37:18,134
She maintained let them be in
death as they were in life.
518
00:37:33,302 --> 00:37:37,504
Brian: This is arkansas
state archive.
519
00:37:37,539 --> 00:37:41,608
And today we'll be looking at
governor brough's scrapbook
520
00:37:41,643 --> 00:37:45,078
That highlights
the elaine massacre.
521
00:37:45,113 --> 00:37:47,948
Deneen: Okay.
Just to recap, this
massacre is occurring,
522
00:37:47,983 --> 00:37:50,617
The governor of
arkansas does what?
523
00:37:50,652 --> 00:37:55,121
Brian: He immediately
goes out with his friends,
524
00:37:55,157 --> 00:37:59,926
Loads up the car and
decides to go out and
see what's going on.
525
00:37:59,962 --> 00:38:01,261
Deneen: To do what?
526
00:38:01,296 --> 00:38:05,198
Brian: We know that he's
participating in events
while he's there.
527
00:38:05,233 --> 00:38:11,037
We do not know, however,
if he is involved in the
massacre of anyone.
528
00:38:11,073 --> 00:38:14,307
Along the way there, he
maintains that he's shot at
529
00:38:14,343 --> 00:38:18,645
Through a cane break and
that they notice a black man
530
00:38:18,680 --> 00:38:20,347
Running through the fields.
531
00:38:20,382 --> 00:38:23,016
So they stopped the
car and they pursue,
532
00:38:23,051 --> 00:38:25,518
And we can actually see
photographs of them because
533
00:38:25,554 --> 00:38:29,422
There are photographs
of the governor there.
534
00:38:32,461 --> 00:38:36,029
Here's the governor, and
you could see him among those
535
00:38:36,064 --> 00:38:39,299
Individuals in the mob.
536
00:38:41,236 --> 00:38:44,704
Deneen: These
photos are astounding.
537
00:38:46,742 --> 00:38:50,710
Brian: This is the governor
walking along in the
thickets with troops.
538
00:38:50,746 --> 00:38:54,247
Notice, you can see
his soldiers have guns,
539
00:38:54,282 --> 00:38:56,016
Have the rifles.
540
00:39:00,255 --> 00:39:04,090
This is the only account that
we have of a governor ever
541
00:39:04,126 --> 00:39:10,463
Hunting for black
citizens in american
history, that I know of.
542
00:39:11,533 --> 00:39:16,569
Deneen: This governor
brough, calls in the military,
543
00:39:16,605 --> 00:39:20,707
Supposedly to help
ease the tensions there.
544
00:39:20,742 --> 00:39:24,077
We know from survivor stories
that the black people who were
545
00:39:24,112 --> 00:39:26,946
Hiding in the thickets, or
in the mississippi river,
546
00:39:26,982 --> 00:39:30,784
In the swamps, were
hiding from the white mobs.
547
00:39:30,819 --> 00:39:33,553
When they saw the soldiers
walking across the field
548
00:39:33,588 --> 00:39:36,589
Toward them, black people
would come out of the hiding
549
00:39:36,625 --> 00:39:41,094
Places because they thought
they were coming to save them.
550
00:39:41,129 --> 00:39:45,231
And instead the soldiers would
fire on the black people who
551
00:39:45,267 --> 00:39:49,335
Were hiding in the
thickets and in the swamps.
552
00:39:52,774 --> 00:39:59,045
Lenora: The very help had
turned out to be an enemy,
553
00:39:59,081 --> 00:40:02,582
And so they scattered,
and some escaped.
554
00:40:02,617 --> 00:40:07,287
There was some white families
who were compassionate and had
555
00:40:07,322 --> 00:40:11,424
Enough heart to grab some
blacks in and hide them.
556
00:40:11,460 --> 00:40:13,827
They had various
ways of escaping,
557
00:40:13,862 --> 00:40:16,229
But so many lost their lives.
558
00:40:16,264 --> 00:40:17,664
So many.
559
00:40:17,699 --> 00:40:20,600
Miller: And most historians
at this point have settled on
560
00:40:20,635 --> 00:40:23,103
There being about 200
black people killed.
561
00:40:23,138 --> 00:40:27,507
We don't know that because we
have not recovered the bodies.
562
00:40:27,542 --> 00:40:34,347
Deneen: That massacre goes on
for days and finally ends in
October of 1919.
563
00:40:36,885 --> 00:40:41,354
We know that hundreds of
black people were
rounded up and arrested.
564
00:40:42,557 --> 00:40:46,459
Lisa: In total, there was 122
elaine defendants that were
565
00:40:46,495 --> 00:40:51,498
Convicted and some
were sentenced upward
of 20 years in prison.
566
00:40:51,533 --> 00:40:55,034
But 12 men were convicted
and sentenced to death
567
00:40:55,070 --> 00:40:56,736
For the murder of a white man.
568
00:40:56,772 --> 00:41:01,508
12 men that were drug
away from their families,
569
00:41:01,543 --> 00:41:08,148
Thrown in jail,
tried, convicted,
tortured.
570
00:41:08,183 --> 00:41:10,517
Deneen: One old black man
wrote that he was whipped
571
00:41:10,552 --> 00:41:13,653
To nearly inches of his life.
572
00:41:13,688 --> 00:41:16,623
They were strapped
to electric chairs.
573
00:41:16,658 --> 00:41:21,795
They were suffocated with some
kind of chemical on a cloth.
574
00:41:21,830 --> 00:41:28,034
As these white mobsters
tried to elicit
confessions from them.
575
00:41:28,069 --> 00:41:31,337
Brian: Immediately the
community wants all of them
576
00:41:31,373 --> 00:41:34,073
Dragged out in the
street and killed.
577
00:41:34,109 --> 00:41:37,644
The governor, however,
maintains that there
must be order.
578
00:41:37,679 --> 00:41:42,282
And he promises the mob that
he will give them a trial,
579
00:41:42,317 --> 00:41:45,485
And he will give
them an execution.
580
00:41:45,887 --> 00:41:47,220
Miller: The first
two or three trials,
581
00:41:47,255 --> 00:41:51,224
There was not even any
cross examination or no
defense put on at all.
582
00:41:51,259 --> 00:41:54,861
From the time the jury was
impaneled to the time the
583
00:41:54,896 --> 00:42:00,033
Person was found guilty
and sentenced to die was
less than two hours.
584
00:42:04,306 --> 00:42:08,274
Lisa: I am descended from
three of the elaine 12.
585
00:42:08,310 --> 00:42:12,846
It has been a
heavy, heavy weight,
586
00:42:12,881 --> 00:42:17,917
Just remembering my ancestors
587
00:42:17,953 --> 00:42:21,187
And remember what they
588
00:42:21,223 --> 00:42:22,922
Sacrificed, what
they went through.
589
00:42:22,958 --> 00:42:25,358
They did not
turn on each other.
590
00:42:25,393 --> 00:42:27,427
They told their stories.
591
00:42:27,462 --> 00:42:28,428
They told the truth.
592
00:42:28,463 --> 00:42:30,930
They stuck to their stories
593
00:42:30,966 --> 00:42:36,269
And they didn't give up.
594
00:42:36,288 --> 00:42:38,137
They didn't give up.
595
00:42:38,173 --> 00:42:39,606
So they had to do something.
596
00:42:39,641 --> 00:42:41,741
♪ let my people go ♪
597
00:42:41,776 --> 00:42:48,248
Claude: If we must die,
let it not be like hogs,
598
00:42:48,283 --> 00:42:52,585
Hunted and penned in an
inglorious spot while around
599
00:42:52,621 --> 00:42:56,222
Us bark the mad
and hungry dogs,
600
00:42:56,258 --> 00:43:01,461
Making their mark
at our accursed lot.
601
00:43:01,496 --> 00:43:04,130
Deneen: Claude mckay wrote
this poem in 1919 during the
602
00:43:04,165 --> 00:43:07,533
Summer when all these
atrocities are occurring
603
00:43:07,569 --> 00:43:09,269
Against black people.
604
00:43:09,304 --> 00:43:12,972
And he's saying basically,
we're going to fight back.
605
00:43:13,008 --> 00:43:15,341
Claude: Like men, we
faced the murderous,
606
00:43:15,377 --> 00:43:19,112
Cowardly pack
pressed to the wall dying,
607
00:43:19,147 --> 00:43:22,382
But fighting back.
608
00:43:22,717 --> 00:43:27,320
Deneen: The black press
plays a crucial role in
this democracy.
609
00:43:27,355 --> 00:43:31,291
There were reporters and
columnist at the turn of the
610
00:43:31,326 --> 00:43:35,962
Century who were advocating
for rights for black people,
611
00:43:35,997 --> 00:43:38,965
For justice for black people.
612
00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:45,238
And ida b. Wells is one of
the greatest investigative
journalists in history.
613
00:43:45,273 --> 00:43:48,908
She follows this great legacy
of people like harriet tubman,
614
00:43:48,944 --> 00:43:51,711
Who would fight for justice.
615
00:43:51,746 --> 00:43:57,650
She was fearless in a way and
not intimidated by white mobs.
616
00:44:01,923 --> 00:44:07,393
One of the men on death row,
wrote to ida b. Wells asking
for her help,
617
00:44:07,429 --> 00:44:13,533
And she responded,
she traveled to arkansas.
618
00:44:13,568 --> 00:44:18,905
She disguised herself and went
inside the jail to collect
619
00:44:18,940 --> 00:44:22,675
Stories from these men
who were on death row.
620
00:44:22,711 --> 00:44:26,346
And she
published their stories.
621
00:44:26,381 --> 00:44:30,550
Lisa: Ida b. Wells
wrote convicting and
executing the elaine 12
622
00:44:30,585 --> 00:44:33,519
Would destroy the economy of
arkansas and pretty much
623
00:44:33,555 --> 00:44:37,857
Threatened that she would
help all of the sharecroppers
624
00:44:37,892 --> 00:44:41,761
In elaine and in
arkansas flee the state.
625
00:44:41,796 --> 00:44:46,532
Her contribution to helping
not just the elaine 12,
626
00:44:46,568 --> 00:44:49,035
But helping the families,
helping the survivors,
627
00:44:49,070 --> 00:44:50,336
Telling their stories.
628
00:44:50,372 --> 00:44:54,674
The elaine descendants
owe ida b. Wells a
debt of gratitude.
629
00:44:56,044 --> 00:44:59,245
Deneen: Her account of their
case really brought national
630
00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:04,283
Attention to what
happened in
elaine, arkansas.
631
00:45:06,988 --> 00:45:12,458
We know that these men
are then represented
by scipio jones,
632
00:45:12,494 --> 00:45:17,263
A very well
known attorney.
633
00:45:17,298 --> 00:45:22,068
He worked with other attorneys
to take the case all the way
634
00:45:22,103 --> 00:45:25,271
To the us supreme court.
635
00:45:25,306 --> 00:45:28,775
The us supreme court
essentially agreed that the
636
00:45:28,810 --> 00:45:34,614
Due process rights of these
men had been violated and they
637
00:45:34,649 --> 00:45:38,084
Were eventually freed.
638
00:45:38,119 --> 00:45:41,054
Cameron: Fighting back by
the black community that year
639
00:45:41,089 --> 00:45:44,157
Wasn't just in the streets.
640
00:45:44,192 --> 00:45:46,325
It wasn't just shooting at the
mob as they'd come down the
641
00:45:46,361 --> 00:45:50,663
Street, it was in
the courts as well.
642
00:45:50,698 --> 00:45:54,934
And those cases proved
pivotal for how we live today.
643
00:45:54,969 --> 00:45:56,803
Anybody, white or
black, if you're arrested,
644
00:45:56,838 --> 00:45:59,272
You get an impartial jury.
645
00:45:59,307 --> 00:46:01,474
You can't have a
forced confession.
646
00:46:01,509 --> 00:46:06,512
These are things that
had to be fought for.
647
00:46:06,548 --> 00:46:07,680
Miller: When it
was handed down,
648
00:46:07,715 --> 00:46:10,550
The naacp hailed it as the
biggest civil rights victory
649
00:46:10,585 --> 00:46:12,652
In the history of the country.
650
00:46:12,687 --> 00:46:18,391
And so out of a lot of
misery comes some good,
I like to think.
651
00:46:31,439 --> 00:46:38,177
There's a direct, connective
thread from east st. Louis
652
00:46:38,213 --> 00:46:42,748
Through dc, and
omaha, nebraska,
653
00:46:42,784 --> 00:46:48,187
And elaine, arkansas,
all the way to tulsa.
654
00:46:48,223 --> 00:46:52,158
The patterns of the white
mob attacking black people
655
00:46:52,193 --> 00:46:56,529
Is the same in each
of these communities.
656
00:46:57,799 --> 00:47:00,700
Many of the
factors are the same.
657
00:47:00,735 --> 00:47:06,038
Economic envy, the
fallacy of white supremacy,
658
00:47:06,074 --> 00:47:12,345
The accusations that a
white woman was accosted
by a black man.
659
00:47:12,380 --> 00:47:16,782
There are patterns in
each of these massacres.
660
00:47:16,818 --> 00:47:23,089
The patterns set the
stage for the tulsa
race massacre of 1921.
661
00:47:37,138 --> 00:47:41,073
Robert: Two years before
the 1921 race massacre,
662
00:47:41,109 --> 00:47:47,880
Tulsa was the site of a
convention for the sons of
the confederate veterans.
663
00:47:47,916 --> 00:47:54,620
And those veterans were
treated like rock stars.
664
00:47:54,656 --> 00:47:56,622
When these
veterans came into town,
665
00:47:56,658 --> 00:47:59,926
They drove through greenwood.
666
00:47:59,961 --> 00:48:06,732
And it's said that those
veterans rebuked the white males
667
00:48:06,768 --> 00:48:11,604
Of that day for allowing
the black population
668
00:48:11,639 --> 00:48:15,308
To be so successful.
669
00:48:15,343 --> 00:48:18,811
Celillianne: There's a lot of
jealousy associated with black
accomplishment.
670
00:48:18,846 --> 00:48:21,647
There's a lot of envy
associated with black
671
00:48:21,683 --> 00:48:25,518
Accomplishment and the whole
idea that a black person has a
672
00:48:25,553 --> 00:48:29,021
Certain space and place
that they should remain in,
673
00:48:29,057 --> 00:48:33,059
And that that should
be dictated to them
by white people,
674
00:48:33,094 --> 00:48:35,661
The people of greenwood,
675
00:48:35,697 --> 00:48:37,830
They said no to that.
676
00:48:37,865 --> 00:48:40,466
Olivia: People who worked in
service used to come to my
677
00:48:40,501 --> 00:48:44,503
Father's store and tell him
that their employers were
678
00:48:44,539 --> 00:48:47,273
Stockpiling ammunition.
679
00:48:47,308 --> 00:48:51,444
So something was planned
long before the outburst.
680
00:48:51,479 --> 00:48:56,349
They were looking for
something to happen that
could start it off.
681
00:49:35,556 --> 00:49:37,290
Kavin: Dick rowland,
a shoeshine boy,
682
00:49:37,325 --> 00:49:42,028
Went up to the upper
levels of the drexel building.
683
00:49:42,063 --> 00:49:46,165
He got on the elevator and
sometimes the elevator did not
684
00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:48,467
Settle correctly.
685
00:49:48,503 --> 00:49:52,338
And he stumbled coming into
the elevator and brushed up
686
00:49:52,373 --> 00:49:56,909
Against sarah paige, who
was the elevator operator.
687
00:49:57,512 --> 00:50:00,279
Regina: She
hollers and he runs out.
688
00:50:00,315 --> 00:50:02,948
Now immediately folks
come to her rescue.
689
00:50:02,984 --> 00:50:07,586
You know, they hear the damsel
in distress and it goes from
690
00:50:07,622 --> 00:50:09,288
That to all of a sudden,
691
00:50:09,324 --> 00:50:12,091
There's an assault,
an attack.
692
00:50:16,164 --> 00:50:18,397
Robert: So, the next day,
the tribune came out that
693
00:50:18,433 --> 00:50:23,769
Afternoon and told about
what had happened and said,
694
00:50:23,805 --> 00:50:26,872
It looks as if we're
going to have a lynching.
695
00:50:26,908 --> 00:50:28,808
Joe: They had heard that
they were trying to lynch
696
00:50:28,843 --> 00:50:31,243
A black boy down around
at the courthouse.
697
00:50:31,279 --> 00:50:33,479
So they had an old
pistol around the house,
698
00:50:33,514 --> 00:50:36,816
He put one in his pocket and
he took off and he just hung
699
00:50:36,851 --> 00:50:39,585
Around there to see
what was going on.
700
00:50:39,887 --> 00:50:41,854
Clyde: So a bunch of blacks
went down there and asked if
701
00:50:41,889 --> 00:50:43,823
They could help protect him.
702
00:50:43,858 --> 00:50:48,994
And when they went down,
they were armed and a bunch of
703
00:50:49,030 --> 00:50:50,963
Whites gathered up.
704
00:50:50,998 --> 00:50:52,031
Joe: They gathered,
they gathered,
705
00:50:52,066 --> 00:50:55,601
They gathered and
finally there was 1,500,
706
00:50:55,636 --> 00:50:59,171
2,000 people down there,
black and white.
707
00:50:59,207 --> 00:51:02,308
Clyde: And one guy
said to this black boy,
708
00:51:02,343 --> 00:51:04,610
Said, "what are you
doing with that gun?"
709
00:51:04,645 --> 00:51:06,846
The boy said, "if I have
to, I'm going to use it."
710
00:51:06,881 --> 00:51:11,117
So, a big scuffle broke
out and a shot was fired
from what I understand.
711
00:51:11,152 --> 00:51:13,652
Then all hell broke
loose as they say.
712
00:51:24,382 --> 00:51:29,318
In 1921 was when I wasmassaca
713
00:51:29,353 --> 00:51:33,956
A volunteer on my cousin's
mayoral campaign in 2002.
714
00:51:33,991 --> 00:51:37,726
And we were at a candidate
debate and somebody at that
715
00:51:37,762 --> 00:51:42,131
Forum said something about
that there had been a riot
716
00:51:42,166 --> 00:51:47,169
In tulsa where bombs
were dropped from
airplanes onto tulsans.
717
00:51:47,205 --> 00:51:49,572
And I remember
hearing that and thinking,
718
00:51:49,607 --> 00:51:53,175
That's ridiculous, there's
no way something like that
719
00:51:53,211 --> 00:51:56,278
Happened here and I
haven't heard about
it or read about it.
720
00:51:58,249 --> 00:52:03,185
My family history goes back
to about the 1870s in tulsa.
721
00:52:03,221 --> 00:52:06,388
In fact, my
great-great grandfather,
722
00:52:06,424 --> 00:52:08,557
My granddad, and
then my cousin,
723
00:52:08,593 --> 00:52:11,827
They've been mayors here.
724
00:52:11,863 --> 00:52:13,762
I went and asked
my grandfathers,
725
00:52:13,798 --> 00:52:16,599
Neither of whom were
alive at the time,
726
00:52:16,634 --> 00:52:19,235
But their parents were
alive and were here.
727
00:52:19,270 --> 00:52:25,074
And they both had stories
that had been passed down
to them about it.
728
00:52:25,109 --> 00:52:30,179
And I couldn't believe it at
the time that something like
729
00:52:30,214 --> 00:52:35,184
That happened here and that it
had largely been covered up.
730
00:52:35,219 --> 00:52:37,286
Nobody talked about it openly.
731
00:52:39,724 --> 00:52:43,626
And then I go back and look at
the history and find that in
732
00:52:43,661 --> 00:52:46,128
The late 1990s there was
a state commission that
733
00:52:46,164 --> 00:52:50,666
Collected oral history,
did geo-physical scanning,
734
00:52:50,701 --> 00:52:55,271
Looking for mass graves and
they identified an anomaly in
735
00:52:55,306 --> 00:52:56,939
Oaklawn cemetery.
736
00:52:56,974 --> 00:53:00,743
And then the city would not
give them permission to dig.
737
00:53:00,778 --> 00:53:02,778
And so I remember just saying,
738
00:53:02,813 --> 00:53:07,283
"man, if I'm ever mayor
we are going to follow
through on this."
739
00:53:11,656 --> 00:53:17,159
It should not have taken
99 years for us to be
doing this investigation.
740
00:53:17,195 --> 00:53:20,462
But this generation of tulsans
has committed to doing what's
741
00:53:20,498 --> 00:53:24,466
Right by our neighbors
and to following the truth,
742
00:53:24,502 --> 00:53:26,302
Wherever it leads us.
743
00:53:26,337 --> 00:53:29,071
And that is what this
investigation and this test
744
00:53:29,106 --> 00:53:32,308
Excavation today is all about.
745
00:53:32,343 --> 00:53:33,909
I think it's so
important to recognize,
746
00:53:33,945 --> 00:53:36,679
There's no way we're in a
position to do this work if
747
00:53:36,714 --> 00:53:39,582
You didn't have the members
of that commission back in the
748
00:53:39,617 --> 00:53:43,686
90s who collected that
oral history from survivors
749
00:53:43,721 --> 00:53:46,355
Who are no longer
with us 20 years later.
750
00:53:46,390 --> 00:53:52,528
If they don't do that work
we're not able to find
these graves in 2020.
751
00:53:53,114 --> 00:53:58,801
Don: Tulsan black
community had no option
but to be its own market.
752
00:53:59,537 --> 00:54:01,604
Kavin: My father, state
representative don ross,
753
00:54:01,639 --> 00:54:06,909
Now retired, created the tulsa
race riot commission report.
754
00:54:06,928 --> 00:54:10,813
It was mainly because
of the so-called
conspiracy of silence.
755
00:54:10,848 --> 00:54:13,015
White folks didn't
want to talk about it,
756
00:54:13,050 --> 00:54:15,351
Because it was an
embarrassment to the city
757
00:54:15,386 --> 00:54:19,555
And nobody wanted to
rehash what had happened
and it became hush-hush.
758
00:54:19,590 --> 00:54:21,824
For black folks they didn't
talk about it because those
759
00:54:21,859 --> 00:54:25,094
Who committed the atrocities
were still around and was
760
00:54:25,129 --> 00:54:28,230
Threatening another riot
if anybody spoke about it.
761
00:54:28,266 --> 00:54:31,567
So for decades, no
one talked about it.
762
00:54:32,069 --> 00:54:33,035
Eddie: Kavin, do you have.
763
00:54:33,070 --> 00:54:34,203
Kavin: Go ahead.
764
00:54:34,238 --> 00:54:35,971
Eddie: Hi, I'm eddie faye
gates chair of the survivors
765
00:54:36,007 --> 00:54:39,174
Committee of the oklahoma
legislative commission to
766
00:54:39,210 --> 00:54:42,378
Study the tulsa
race riot of 1921.
767
00:54:42,413 --> 00:54:45,748
Kavin: I was about 36 at
the time when I was asked to
768
00:54:45,783 --> 00:54:49,952
Videotape the testimonies
of the riot survivors.
769
00:54:49,987 --> 00:54:53,922
Many of these senior citizens
were at the age of five, six,
770
00:54:53,958 --> 00:54:56,558
19 years of age at the time,
771
00:54:56,594 --> 00:55:02,865
Going back in time to
tell of ill fated days
of greenwood 1921.
772
00:55:04,802 --> 00:55:11,206
Ernestine: I was studying my
lesson for exam for the next day
773
00:55:11,242 --> 00:55:14,243
At booker washington
high school.
774
00:55:14,278 --> 00:55:17,913
When somebody
banged on that door,
775
00:55:17,948 --> 00:55:20,282
My mother had gone to bed.
776
00:55:20,318 --> 00:55:22,284
Joe: Well, there was a
lot of commotion around.
777
00:55:22,320 --> 00:55:27,389
I remember and my mom was very
excited about what was going
778
00:55:27,425 --> 00:55:29,525
On, all the noise.
779
00:55:29,560 --> 00:55:32,961
Dad just got in from work, he
went back went to sleep and
780
00:55:32,997 --> 00:55:35,731
She woke him up and said,
"I don't think you ought
to go to sleep.
781
00:55:35,766 --> 00:55:38,300
There's too much going on."
782
00:55:38,669 --> 00:55:40,703
Eldoris: And I was
awakened by my mother,
783
00:55:40,738 --> 00:55:44,573
I was real frightened
because she had told me
what was happening.
784
00:55:44,608 --> 00:55:48,844
And I couldn't imagine
that I just said to her,
785
00:55:48,879 --> 00:55:52,081
I just got up and
was real afraid.
786
00:55:52,116 --> 00:55:55,751
And she says,
we have to go
out, get out.
787
00:55:55,786 --> 00:56:00,689
I said, she says that
white people are killing
the colored people.
788
00:56:01,959 --> 00:56:05,394
Veneice: Up on the standpipe
hill they were shooting from
789
00:56:05,429 --> 00:56:07,996
There and we were
out in the backyard,
790
00:56:08,032 --> 00:56:11,767
My father came and had us to
come in because the bullets
791
00:56:11,802 --> 00:56:14,603
Were falling out
in the backyard.
792
00:56:14,638 --> 00:56:18,540
George: All of us were in the
house when we saw coming up
793
00:56:18,576 --> 00:56:23,212
The wall, four men with
torches in their hands,
794
00:56:23,247 --> 00:56:25,314
Torches were burning.
795
00:56:25,349 --> 00:56:29,051
When my mother saw
them coming she said,
796
00:56:29,086 --> 00:56:31,153
You get up under the bed.
797
00:56:31,188 --> 00:56:35,124
While I was under the bed, one
of the guys coming past the
798
00:56:35,159 --> 00:56:37,326
Bed stepped on my finger.
799
00:56:37,361 --> 00:56:43,098
And as I was about to scream,
my sister put her hand over my
800
00:56:43,134 --> 00:56:46,201
Mouth so I couldn't be heard.
801
00:56:46,237 --> 00:56:48,437
They set our house on fire
and went right straight to the
802
00:56:48,472 --> 00:56:51,473
Curtains to set the
curtains on fire.
803
00:56:51,509 --> 00:56:54,376
Now I remember that.
804
00:57:04,755 --> 00:57:07,256
And they came and asked
my father and he used a
805
00:57:07,291 --> 00:57:10,225
Provocative,
unacceptable word,
"n-word."
806
00:57:10,261 --> 00:57:11,160
Woman: Uh-hmm.
807
00:57:11,195 --> 00:57:12,327
Kinney: "do you have a gun?"
808
00:57:12,363 --> 00:57:13,996
He said, "I don't have a gun."
809
00:57:14,031 --> 00:57:17,699
But he said, "well, please
don't set my house on fire."
810
00:57:17,735 --> 00:57:21,069
Well, he knew that we
were up in the attic, so he...
811
00:57:21,105 --> 00:57:23,639
As soon as he left,
they set our house on fire.
812
00:57:23,674 --> 00:57:26,408
We were up in the
attic, four children.
813
00:57:26,444 --> 00:57:29,678
When we got down,
telephone poles were
burning and falling.
814
00:57:29,713 --> 00:57:34,416
And my poor sister who was two
years younger than I am said,
815
00:57:34,452 --> 00:57:35,818
"ken is the world on fire?"
816
00:57:35,853 --> 00:57:39,588
Said "I don't think so,
but we in deep trouble."
817
00:57:41,225 --> 00:57:44,159
John: We have eyewitnesses
that describe being awakened
818
00:57:44,195 --> 00:57:48,831
In the middle of the
night by loud white men.
819
00:57:48,866 --> 00:57:51,700
Being told to get
out of their homes.
820
00:57:51,735 --> 00:57:55,337
As they come down the stairs
into their living rooms they
821
00:57:55,372 --> 00:57:58,874
See their prized
possessions being stolen,
822
00:57:58,909 --> 00:58:03,412
Their piano, their furniture,
the piggy banks from the
823
00:58:03,447 --> 00:58:06,949
Children's savings.
824
00:58:06,984 --> 00:58:11,954
Olivia: They came by the
thousands and decided first
825
00:58:11,989 --> 00:58:16,558
They would pillage and they
just hauled the belongings of
826
00:58:16,594 --> 00:58:21,396
The black population of tulsa
away to use for their own use.
827
00:58:21,432 --> 00:58:25,868
And they didn't leave
anything valuable if
they could find it.
828
00:58:40,034 --> 00:58:41,633
The first batch of
photos, by the way,
829
00:58:41,669 --> 00:58:44,036
Are the postcards.
830
00:58:45,539 --> 00:58:50,375
And you will notice these
are literally postcards.
831
00:58:50,411 --> 00:58:52,144
Deneen: Yes.
832
00:58:52,179 --> 00:58:56,982
Marc: "little africa on
fire, tulsa race riot,
June 1st, 1921."
833
00:58:57,017 --> 00:59:01,153
This photograph was actually
taken from the roof of the
hotel tulsa.
834
00:59:01,188 --> 00:59:04,523
And over here, you
can see standpipe hill.
835
00:59:04,558 --> 00:59:09,194
And this is looking across
northeast across the tracks.
836
00:59:09,230 --> 00:59:13,065
That large batch right
there is actually greenwood
and archer on fire.
837
00:59:14,702 --> 00:59:17,035
Deneen: So what was the
purpose of them creating
838
00:59:17,071 --> 00:59:20,839
Postcards of
greenwood burning?
839
00:59:20,875 --> 00:59:22,841
Marc: Souvenirs.
Deneen: Souvenirs.
840
00:59:22,877 --> 00:59:29,047
Marc: Souvenirs.
The concept of doing souvenirs
of things like lynchings,
841
00:59:29,083 --> 00:59:33,285
In fact, what they used to do
frequently is while a lynching
842
00:59:33,320 --> 00:59:35,687
Was occurring, the
photographer would go out,
843
00:59:35,723 --> 00:59:38,323
Take a picture,
run back to his lab,
844
00:59:38,359 --> 00:59:43,028
Print off copies, go
back out to the crowd
and start selling them.
845
00:59:43,063 --> 00:59:48,600
Deneen: This is so amazing to
have this treasure trove of
photographs and postcards.
846
00:59:48,636 --> 00:59:51,737
Because as a historian,
you know over time,
847
00:59:51,772 --> 00:59:56,074
You've talked about how the
story of an event can change.
848
00:59:56,110 --> 00:59:57,276
Marc: Can change.
849
00:59:57,311 --> 01:00:01,046
I try to work from the
documents as closely as
possible.
850
01:00:01,081 --> 01:00:03,949
Because while the documents
may not be initially any more
851
01:00:03,984 --> 01:00:06,251
Accurate than an
oral statement,
852
01:00:06,287 --> 01:00:09,221
As a rule, the
documents don't change.
853
01:00:09,256 --> 01:00:11,390
Photographs are even better.
854
01:00:11,425 --> 01:00:14,626
The trick with photographs
is learning how to read
the photograph.
855
01:00:14,662 --> 01:00:19,131
And again, there are
lots of pictures of
mount zion burning.
856
01:00:19,166 --> 01:00:21,233
Deneen: Oh, that's
mount zion church burning.
857
01:00:21,268 --> 01:00:25,971
So were, were there, um, I
know that black world war I
858
01:00:26,006 --> 01:00:31,443
Veterans actively put
up a resistance to
defend greenwood.
859
01:00:31,478 --> 01:00:34,880
Were they inside
mount zion, inside the...
860
01:00:34,915 --> 01:00:37,349
Marc: According to
the caption.
861
01:00:37,384 --> 01:00:39,651
Deneen: Right.
Marc: Yes, they were.
862
01:00:39,687 --> 01:00:43,255
The notation on it claims
that they were storing
ammunition there.
863
01:00:43,290 --> 01:00:46,491
I'm not sure that's ever
actually been proven one
way or the other.
864
01:00:49,496 --> 01:00:55,400
Jobie: They got in the
basement of mount zion church.
865
01:00:56,337 --> 01:01:01,106
And as the whites would
866
01:01:01,141 --> 01:01:04,977
Come off of archer street,
867
01:01:05,012 --> 01:01:11,316
Coming up elgin and like
that they would shoot
868
01:01:11,352 --> 01:01:16,021
And they killed quite a
few white people.
869
01:01:17,391 --> 01:01:19,524
Regina: There are stories of
people being in the basements
870
01:01:19,560 --> 01:01:23,528
Of churches and having little
cubby holes where they would
871
01:01:23,564 --> 01:01:27,799
Shoot through and be able
to defend themselves to the
872
01:01:27,835 --> 01:01:29,735
Degree that they could.
873
01:01:29,770 --> 01:01:32,771
Kavin: Gun shops were invaded
by the white mob who went and
874
01:01:32,806 --> 01:01:36,875
Get guns, and that's when the
skirmish start to break out.
875
01:01:36,910 --> 01:01:40,045
Many of the fights occur
along the railroad tracks,
876
01:01:40,080 --> 01:01:46,184
Which today, we regard as one
of the dividing lines of
north and south tulsa.
877
01:01:47,354 --> 01:01:54,159
Robert: Men of that generation
believed in honor and
protecting your family.
878
01:01:55,529 --> 01:02:00,232
And we put up a valiant
effort considering the odds.
879
01:02:00,267 --> 01:02:06,872
And we defended as best
we could until they got
the airplanes.
880
01:02:12,279 --> 01:02:14,079
Eldoris: When we
left our house,
881
01:02:14,114 --> 01:02:17,716
I was so afraid because
bullets were coming down
882
01:02:17,751 --> 01:02:23,722
Around us, but the planes were
up in the air shooting down.
883
01:02:23,757 --> 01:02:26,491
And I could hear
those bullets falling.
884
01:02:26,527 --> 01:02:29,694
And all of a sudden,
when we got to the track,
885
01:02:29,730 --> 01:02:33,331
I went over the track and
there were a lot of people
886
01:02:33,367 --> 01:02:37,302
Running, dodging the bullets.
887
01:02:39,807 --> 01:02:42,340
Regina: I remember hearing the
stories of when people were
888
01:02:42,376 --> 01:02:45,444
Trying to flee, when the
onslaught of the bullets
889
01:02:45,479 --> 01:02:48,613
Raining down on houses and
folks knew either they were
890
01:02:48,649 --> 01:02:51,416
Either going to be possibly
shot to death or they be
891
01:02:51,452 --> 01:02:53,652
Burned alive
inside their homes.
892
01:02:53,687 --> 01:02:57,222
They had to decide, "am I
going to stay in the home
and we're going to burn up?"
893
01:02:57,257 --> 01:02:58,723
Right?
894
01:02:58,759 --> 01:03:02,194
"or do we take our chances
and run out and possibly
get shot to death?"
895
01:03:03,831 --> 01:03:08,200
John: My grandfather describes
the scene in an eyewitness
896
01:03:08,235 --> 01:03:11,536
Account that he has written.
897
01:03:11,572 --> 01:03:16,041
"from my office window,
I could see planes
circling in midair.
898
01:03:16,076 --> 01:03:20,045
They grew in number and hummed
and darted and dipped low.
899
01:03:20,080 --> 01:03:24,850
I could hear something like
hail falling upon the top of
my office building.
900
01:03:24,885 --> 01:03:31,223
Down east archer, I saw the
old midway hotel on fire,
burning from its top.
901
01:03:31,692 --> 01:03:35,794
Smoke ascended the sky in
thick black volumes and
emitted oil.
902
01:03:35,829 --> 01:03:39,331
The planes, now a
dozen or more in number,
903
01:03:39,366 --> 01:03:43,001
Still hummed and darted here
and there with the agility of
904
01:03:43,036 --> 01:03:45,737
Natural birds of the air.
905
01:03:45,772 --> 01:03:48,673
I came out of my office and
locked the door and descended
906
01:03:48,709 --> 01:03:50,642
To the foot of the steps.
907
01:03:50,677 --> 01:03:55,046
The sidewalks were
literally covered with
burning turpentine bombs.
908
01:03:55,082 --> 01:03:58,083
I knew all too well
where they came from,
909
01:03:58,118 --> 01:04:01,853
And I knew all too well why
every burning building first
910
01:04:01,889 --> 01:04:04,956
Caught from the top."
911
01:04:04,992 --> 01:04:10,128
Many people indeed deny that
tulsa was bombed from the air.
912
01:04:10,164 --> 01:04:13,732
The eyewitness accounts,
not just from my grandfather,
913
01:04:13,767 --> 01:04:18,537
But from other people
of airplanes bombing the
914
01:04:18,572 --> 01:04:21,873
Community are
proof enough for me.
915
01:04:23,143 --> 01:04:25,877
Olivia: My mother took me to
the window and had me peer
916
01:04:25,913 --> 01:04:30,782
Through the blinds,
and she pointed up on
the top of the hill.
917
01:04:30,817 --> 01:04:33,051
She said, "you see
that thing up there?
918
01:04:33,086 --> 01:04:34,920
That's a machine gun.
919
01:04:34,955 --> 01:04:37,088
See the american
flag on top of it?
920
01:04:37,124 --> 01:04:41,526
That means your
country is shooting at you."
921
01:05:07,204 --> 01:05:11,873
♪ ♪
922
01:05:15,245 --> 01:05:19,581
Deneen: In tulsa, martial
law is eventually declared,
923
01:05:19,616 --> 01:05:22,117
The national
guard is called in,
924
01:05:22,152 --> 01:05:25,186
And trucks drove
through the streets of tulsa,
925
01:05:25,222 --> 01:05:28,456
Picking up all the
black men, women,
926
01:05:28,492 --> 01:05:31,226
And children they could find.
927
01:05:33,363 --> 01:05:35,897
Kavin: Many of the black folks
were rounded up and placed in
928
01:05:35,933 --> 01:05:39,434
Internment camps
around the city;
929
01:05:39,469 --> 01:05:43,204
Convention hall, mcnulty
park, the fairgrounds,
930
01:05:43,240 --> 01:05:47,642
All of these areas was
used to house black folks.
931
01:05:47,678 --> 01:05:49,044
Joe: It wasn't long before
they had another truck with
932
01:05:49,079 --> 01:05:51,112
Some soldiers in it that
came and picked us up,
933
01:05:51,148 --> 01:05:55,417
Put us all in the truck,
took it down to the
convention center.
934
01:05:55,452 --> 01:05:58,153
We didn't see dad
anymore for a couple of days.
935
01:05:58,188 --> 01:06:01,222
They had taken him out
to this mcnulty park.
936
01:06:01,258 --> 01:06:04,859
That's where they took him.
937
01:06:05,929 --> 01:06:11,199
John: My grandfather is
interned in the convention hall
for several days.
938
01:06:11,234 --> 01:06:13,735
Many other people,
african-american men,
939
01:06:13,770 --> 01:06:17,072
Women and children, are
interned in the ballparks
940
01:06:17,107 --> 01:06:21,743
And other areas where the
african-american community
941
01:06:21,778 --> 01:06:25,180
Can be sequestered while the
rest of the city decides
942
01:06:25,215 --> 01:06:30,251
What to do with this community
that they had destroyed.
943
01:06:30,287 --> 01:06:34,089
Ernestine: That night,
we slept in the
fairground
944
01:06:34,124 --> 01:06:39,160
And the next morning, this
young man came up to my mother.
945
01:06:39,196 --> 01:06:41,529
I remember him coming up.
946
01:06:41,565 --> 01:06:44,799
He had a gun and
he asked my mother,
947
01:06:44,835 --> 01:06:51,306
"would you keep my gun
while I go with them to
help bury the dead?"
948
01:06:52,476 --> 01:06:54,109
Well, you know,
when he came back,
949
01:06:54,144 --> 01:06:55,710
We didn't even
ask him about that.
950
01:06:55,746 --> 01:06:58,380
We should have just
asked him, but we didn't.
951
01:06:58,415 --> 01:07:01,649
Deneen: So while people were
being held in these camps,
952
01:07:01,685 --> 01:07:07,155
Bodies of black people
were being taken off
the streets and buried.
953
01:07:07,524 --> 01:07:11,092
We don't know how many
people died in the
tulsa race massacre,
954
01:07:11,128 --> 01:07:16,231
But historians say as
many as 300 black people
were killed.
955
01:07:16,900 --> 01:07:20,702
An oral history tells us
that black people were buried
956
01:07:20,737 --> 01:07:24,506
Somewhere in
tulsa in mass graves.
957
01:07:24,541 --> 01:07:26,875
These sites
included the canes,
958
01:07:26,910 --> 01:07:29,611
Which is near the
arkansas river,
959
01:07:29,646 --> 01:07:34,382
The old booker t washington
cemetery and oaklawn,
960
01:07:34,418 --> 01:07:37,485
Which is a public
cemetery in tulsa.
961
01:07:37,521 --> 01:07:41,256
Clyde: My cousin and I were
going over to visit my aunt
962
01:07:41,291 --> 01:07:42,957
And we walked
past the cemetery.
963
01:07:42,993 --> 01:07:46,494
We looked around and we
saw about six or eight men
digging this big hole.
964
01:07:46,530 --> 01:07:50,832
And scattered around in
the area was a large number,
965
01:07:50,867 --> 01:07:55,003
Maybe six or so,
big wooden crates,
966
01:07:55,038 --> 01:07:57,238
Like you ship oil
field equipment in.
967
01:07:57,274 --> 01:07:59,140
And we were curious.
968
01:07:59,176 --> 01:08:00,542
You know how kids are.
969
01:08:00,577 --> 01:08:02,977
So we walked back and went in
the gate and walked down to
970
01:08:03,013 --> 01:08:07,082
Where these boxes were and
opened the lid on one and
971
01:08:07,117 --> 01:08:09,784
There were three
bodies in this one.
972
01:08:09,820 --> 01:08:13,121
And we went over to the second
one and there's four or five
973
01:08:13,156 --> 01:08:14,022
Bodies in that one.
974
01:08:14,057 --> 01:08:15,657
It was a huge crate.
975
01:08:15,692 --> 01:08:18,827
I started over looking at the
next crate and the man came up
976
01:08:18,862 --> 01:08:22,730
And said, "you
boys get out of here.
You have no business in here."
977
01:08:24,901 --> 01:08:26,668
Reporter (over tv): Happening
today in just a few hours,
978
01:08:26,703 --> 01:08:31,039
Crews will once again search
oaklawn cemetery for 1921
tulsa race massacre victims.
979
01:08:31,074 --> 01:08:32,774
Back in July, they
searched the cemetery,
980
01:08:32,809 --> 01:08:36,044
But did not find
any human remains.
981
01:08:36,079 --> 01:08:40,048
Deneen: The headlines in July
of 2020 were scientists in
982
01:08:40,083 --> 01:08:45,353
Tulsa find no human remains
in the search for mass graves.
983
01:08:45,388 --> 01:08:47,689
And I kept saying to editors,
984
01:08:47,724 --> 01:08:51,025
"look, people only read the
headlines these days.
985
01:08:51,061 --> 01:08:52,527
That's not the story.
986
01:08:52,562 --> 01:08:57,332
The story is that tulsa is
really expanding its search."
987
01:08:57,367 --> 01:09:01,669
I know as a reporter from
talking to people that that
988
01:09:01,705 --> 01:09:04,172
Was only the tip
of the iceberg,
989
01:09:04,207 --> 01:09:08,309
That they were going to be
looking in other places
990
01:09:08,345 --> 01:09:13,214
In the city and also other
areas of oaklawn cemetery.
991
01:09:13,250 --> 01:09:15,650
Phoebe: Good
afternoon, everyone.
992
01:09:15,685 --> 01:09:18,853
We will begin excavating
some much more discrete sites.
993
01:09:18,889 --> 01:09:24,526
I'm very hopeful that we'll at
least find these individuals
994
01:09:24,561 --> 01:09:30,765
That are just hidden in
an otherwise
well-organized cemetery.
995
01:09:34,571 --> 01:09:38,540
Deneen: It's a cold
morning on October 19,
996
01:09:38,575 --> 01:09:40,141
And we are watching.
997
01:09:40,177 --> 01:09:43,611
We're watching the
movements of the scientists.
998
01:09:43,980 --> 01:09:50,752
We're peering over the fence
to look for any reaction and
emotion in their faces.
999
01:09:50,787 --> 01:09:55,056
Now, I know that the
state archeologist had told
1000
01:09:55,091 --> 01:10:00,094
Reporters previously that
the minute the team encounters
1001
01:10:00,130 --> 01:10:05,466
Human remains, they would
put up a tarp because it is
1002
01:10:05,502 --> 01:10:09,070
Forbidden to
photograph the dead.
1003
01:10:09,472 --> 01:10:12,774
And I was there when we
were looking over the fence,
1004
01:10:12,809 --> 01:10:18,112
We saw a frenzy of activity
among the scientists on the
other side of the fence.
1005
01:10:18,148 --> 01:10:20,648
We see them put up a tarp.
1006
01:10:20,684 --> 01:10:25,119
We see one of them examine
something in her hands.
1007
01:10:25,155 --> 01:10:27,789
They're pointing to the dirt,
they're pointing to the dirt.
1008
01:10:27,824 --> 01:10:32,193
And I know, I was like,
"they have found something."
1009
01:10:32,229 --> 01:10:36,631
The earth had unleashed
the truth in that moment.
1010
01:10:36,666 --> 01:10:39,033
Kary: Thank you all for
being here this afternoon.
1011
01:10:39,069 --> 01:10:42,270
So today I'm here
to report an update.
1012
01:10:42,305 --> 01:10:44,772
At this point in time, I
can confirm that we have
1013
01:10:44,808 --> 01:10:49,911
Identified the outlines of
at least ten coffins based
1014
01:10:49,946 --> 01:10:52,981
On the backhoe excavation
work that we did.
1015
01:10:53,016 --> 01:10:56,317
This constitutes a mass grave.
1016
01:10:56,353 --> 01:10:57,919
Kavin: Being a part of
the oversight committee and
1017
01:10:57,954 --> 01:11:02,624
Working with the research
scientists inside the grave
1018
01:11:02,659 --> 01:11:04,826
Was very sobering.
1019
01:11:04,861 --> 01:11:08,696
I noticed that you can see
the outlines of the coffins.
1020
01:11:08,732 --> 01:11:13,201
They were like two by two,
and then they were lined
up like dominoes.
1021
01:11:13,236 --> 01:11:15,203
Phoebe: But as the
trench went west,
1022
01:11:15,238 --> 01:11:18,806
We found another coffin and
another and another coffin
1023
01:11:18,842 --> 01:11:22,977
Right after each other in
the same burial moment.
1024
01:11:23,013 --> 01:11:25,246
So for dimension wise,
there could be as many
1025
01:11:25,282 --> 01:11:27,115
As 30 individuals in there.
1026
01:11:27,150 --> 01:11:30,718
And so those are the
signatures of a mass grave.
1027
01:11:30,754 --> 01:11:35,156
G.T.: This is emotional, to
be there in that cemetery,
1028
01:11:35,191 --> 01:11:38,526
In this space
that until that day,
1029
01:11:38,561 --> 01:11:40,862
Everyone, when
they would drive by,
1030
01:11:40,897 --> 01:11:43,231
Would think was just a field.
1031
01:11:43,266 --> 01:11:47,001
And yet under that
earth, all these years,
1032
01:11:47,037 --> 01:11:49,737
There've been these graves.
1033
01:11:49,773 --> 01:11:53,408
Deneen: It was like they
had found people who had been
1034
01:11:53,443 --> 01:11:56,711
Disappeared by history.
1035
01:11:57,147 --> 01:11:59,580
It wasn't a movie.
1036
01:11:59,616 --> 01:12:01,783
You know, it wasn't
a chapter in a book.
1037
01:12:01,818 --> 01:12:05,520
It happened to real people.
1038
01:12:05,555 --> 01:12:08,022
Kavin: It wasn't until I
got to my car and started
1039
01:12:08,058 --> 01:12:13,728
The engine and about to
leave then it hit me
with this overwhelming,
1040
01:12:13,763 --> 01:12:15,630
I'm remembering
screaming out,
1041
01:12:15,665 --> 01:12:20,768
"we found them, we
finally found them.
1042
01:12:20,804 --> 01:12:24,138
Thank god we found them."
1043
01:12:39,806 --> 01:12:45,576
James: Some people will
say that right back
here is a burial site.
1044
01:12:45,612 --> 01:12:49,414
They say maybe it could
be hundreds of bodies
buried over there.
1045
01:12:49,449 --> 01:12:54,252
Deneen: Why do you think
they would bury black people
here in unmarked graves?
1046
01:12:54,287 --> 01:12:58,489
Lenora: Because, the things
that they were doing was
not out in the open.
1047
01:12:58,525 --> 01:13:02,193
So, it's just like any
other murdering event.
1048
01:13:02,228 --> 01:13:06,698
If somebody knew something,
they want to dispose of that
body as quickly as possible.
1049
01:13:06,733 --> 01:13:09,801
So, they just did what they
were doing and just dumped
1050
01:13:09,836 --> 01:13:13,337
Them into graves, is
what we were told.
1051
01:13:13,373 --> 01:13:15,473
James: We put a
tree out there.
1052
01:13:15,508 --> 01:13:17,975
Somebody came and
chopped it down.
1053
01:13:18,011 --> 01:13:21,846
So now, we're going to
put a marker out there.
1054
01:13:21,881 --> 01:13:24,182
Lenora: We're
treading on bloody soil,
1055
01:13:24,217 --> 01:13:27,018
And you're talking
about entitlement?
1056
01:13:27,053 --> 01:13:30,788
If reparations is really a
word and it has a definition,
1057
01:13:30,824 --> 01:13:34,258
I think, elaine, we have
the poorest people
1058
01:13:34,294 --> 01:13:37,995
Treading on the richest soil.
1059
01:13:38,031 --> 01:13:41,232
It's just a lot of horrible
things have happened
1060
01:13:41,267 --> 01:13:45,269
In this town and
in subjacent towns.
1061
01:13:45,305 --> 01:13:47,872
James: You see all this cotton
rolled up in these fields?
1062
01:13:47,907 --> 01:13:50,475
And, there's millions
and millions of dollars,
1063
01:13:50,510 --> 01:13:53,244
But black people
don't own none of that.
1064
01:13:53,279 --> 01:13:57,215
I worked all my life
and I can't even buy
me a new vehicle.
1065
01:13:57,250 --> 01:13:58,750
You know, it wasn't
because I wasn't working.
1066
01:13:58,785 --> 01:14:03,688
You know, you just, you,
the system here is designed
against black folks.
1067
01:14:03,723 --> 01:14:05,056
Lenora: Uh-hmm.
1068
01:14:05,091 --> 01:14:10,561
Lisa: Black people
have been working,
1069
01:14:10,597 --> 01:14:12,597
Busting their butts,
trying to be independent,
1070
01:14:12,632 --> 01:14:15,633
Trying to build
wealth for their families,
1071
01:14:15,668 --> 01:14:18,736
And I think about all these
communities and all of our
1072
01:14:18,772 --> 01:14:21,205
Ancestors and what they
were working to do from
1073
01:14:21,241 --> 01:14:26,911
Reconstruction until now, and
it seems like every time they
1074
01:14:26,946 --> 01:14:30,281
Were doing just what
people say they weren't doing,
1075
01:14:30,316 --> 01:14:34,886
They came in and
they burnt it down!
1076
01:14:34,921 --> 01:14:37,722
They set it on fire.
1077
01:14:38,224 --> 01:14:42,627
Time and time and time again!
1078
01:14:43,129 --> 01:14:45,830
Ernestine: When we
came through greenwood,
1079
01:14:45,865 --> 01:14:50,301
There was not a
building standing.
1080
01:14:50,336 --> 01:14:53,137
Eldoris: It was just
the sound of this bricks,
1081
01:14:53,173 --> 01:14:55,573
Stones, buildings blowing up.
1082
01:14:55,608 --> 01:15:01,579
You just, war-torn place.
1083
01:15:20,500 --> 01:15:22,867
♪ ♪
1084
01:15:26,940 --> 01:15:30,641
John: What happens
after may 31st,
June 1st,
1085
01:15:30,677 --> 01:15:34,278
Is that you have a
decimated community.
1086
01:15:34,314 --> 01:15:39,517
Many people flee the
city and never return.
1087
01:15:39,552 --> 01:15:46,324
And, those who try to stay and
rebuild are forced to gather
1088
01:15:46,359 --> 01:15:49,594
The bricks and remnants
of what were their homes,
1089
01:15:49,629 --> 01:15:53,831
And try to rebuild on
the land that they had.
1090
01:15:53,867 --> 01:15:58,102
And, the insurance companies
refused to honor the insurance
1091
01:15:58,137 --> 01:16:03,207
Policies that people
have taken out on their
homes and businesses.
1092
01:16:03,243 --> 01:16:07,011
Regina: My great grandmother,
she listed the dishes,
1093
01:16:07,046 --> 01:16:10,781
The property, the homes,
things there were items in the
1094
01:16:10,817 --> 01:16:14,619
Home that were due,
these things that we
work for, right?
1095
01:16:14,654 --> 01:16:17,655
And someone needs
to make restitution.
1096
01:16:17,690 --> 01:16:21,225
Of course, she was rejected
outright in the court system.
1097
01:16:21,261 --> 01:16:25,229
Kavin: My great-grandfather
wasn't able to rebuild because
1098
01:16:25,265 --> 01:16:31,769
All of the monies
were no longer there.
1099
01:16:31,804 --> 01:16:35,039
He attempted to sell the
family land in order to
1100
01:16:35,074 --> 01:16:40,711
Reopen, but lost the
home and the business
after many attempts.
1101
01:16:40,747 --> 01:16:43,014
And, he would leave
the state of oklahoma,
1102
01:16:43,049 --> 01:16:46,784
Never to return,
and died angry.
1103
01:16:48,087 --> 01:16:54,058
Robert: Black people, armed
with their faith and ambition
1104
01:16:54,093 --> 01:16:59,664
Built the most
prosperous place,
1105
01:16:59,699 --> 01:17:02,333
Not just for black people,
1106
01:17:02,368 --> 01:17:06,737
But for any
people in this country.
1107
01:17:06,773 --> 01:17:12,777
And, what did this racist,
white community
1108
01:17:12,812 --> 01:17:16,447
Of tulsa do in response?
1109
01:17:17,317 --> 01:17:21,786
They burned it to the ground.
1110
01:17:21,821 --> 01:17:23,955
So, every Wednesday
I go to city hall,
1111
01:17:23,990 --> 01:17:27,391
And I tell them about the
people that were killed,
1112
01:17:27,427 --> 01:17:30,461
And I tell them about the
homes that were bombed and
1113
01:17:30,496 --> 01:17:33,230
Burned, and the
people that were looted,
1114
01:17:33,266 --> 01:17:37,635
And the bodies that were
dumped in the mass graves.
1115
01:17:37,670 --> 01:17:44,308
I tell them that, and I
call out the city of tulsa.
1116
01:17:44,344 --> 01:17:46,944
This city of tulsa
1117
01:17:46,980 --> 01:17:52,249
Has never paid reparations
1118
01:17:54,520 --> 01:17:57,321
To those that they killed!
1119
01:17:57,357 --> 01:18:02,126
This city and her law
enforcement officer.
1120
01:18:02,161 --> 01:18:07,999
The district attorney has
never filed charges on those
1121
01:18:08,034 --> 01:18:13,137
Who committed
acts of mass terror!
1122
01:18:13,172 --> 01:18:19,844
Black lives have never
mattered in this city!
1123
01:18:19,879 --> 01:18:25,082
Black lives have never
mattered in this country!
1124
01:18:25,118 --> 01:18:28,319
Deneen: Black activists on the
ground now are agitating that
1125
01:18:28,354 --> 01:18:32,156
The city do all it can to
search for the mass graves
1126
01:18:32,191 --> 01:18:35,359
And also pay reparations
for what was lost
1127
01:18:35,395 --> 01:18:42,166
In the 1921 tulsa race massacre,
and they hold the powerful in
tulsa accountable.
1128
01:18:42,201 --> 01:18:45,002
They hold their
feet to the fire.
1129
01:18:45,038 --> 01:18:48,172
G.T.: A lot of folks want
to leap ahead and talk
about reparations.
1130
01:18:48,207 --> 01:18:51,709
I really want us, before
we get to that discussion,
1131
01:18:51,744 --> 01:18:54,378
To just try and
find these folks.
1132
01:18:54,414 --> 01:18:57,014
And so, I would like us to
do that before we move on to,
1133
01:18:57,050 --> 01:19:02,119
You know, what that
justice may look like.
1134
01:19:02,155 --> 01:19:03,988
Robert: At first, he
said it was divisive.
1135
01:19:04,023 --> 01:19:09,060
Now he's pivoting toward, it's
not time to talk about it yet,
1136
01:19:09,095 --> 01:19:13,697
And I'm like, "if that's your
answer, when is the time?"
1137
01:19:13,733 --> 01:19:16,033
I mean, I know we
were doing excavations,
1138
01:19:16,069 --> 01:19:19,036
But it's not like we
don't know folk were killed.
1139
01:19:19,072 --> 01:19:22,406
And these reparations
was good enough for the
1140
01:19:22,442 --> 01:19:27,745
Japanese-americans after being
placed in internment camps.
1141
01:19:27,780 --> 01:19:30,648
And I agree, they
should have got reparations.
1142
01:19:30,683 --> 01:19:35,352
But, if they can
get reparations,
why not african-americans?
1143
01:19:35,388 --> 01:19:39,073
G.T.: The challenge I run
into is that reparations means
1144
01:19:39,125 --> 01:19:41,725
Different things
for different people.
1145
01:19:41,761 --> 01:19:47,598
And so, for some people, it is
a cash payment from the city.
1146
01:19:47,633 --> 01:19:53,838
And, I don't support
that because I don't
think that tulsans,
1147
01:19:53,873 --> 01:19:59,677
In 2020, should be
financially penalized for
1148
01:19:59,712 --> 01:20:03,447
Something that
happened a century ago.
1149
01:20:03,483 --> 01:20:06,951
But, reparations for other
people mean making sure that
1150
01:20:06,986 --> 01:20:12,223
We're doing things today
that address historic systemic
1151
01:20:12,258 --> 01:20:17,428
Challenges and racial
disparities that still
pervade in our city.
1152
01:20:17,463 --> 01:20:19,964
Robert: Where is your bravery?
1153
01:20:19,999 --> 01:20:22,233
Our reparations?
1154
01:20:22,268 --> 01:20:24,768
Where is your bravery?
1155
01:20:24,804 --> 01:20:27,471
Our doing right?
1156
01:20:27,507 --> 01:20:28,439
Deneen: How long do you wait?
1157
01:20:28,474 --> 01:20:31,075
How long do you
wait for justice?
1158
01:20:31,110 --> 01:20:37,548
And, black people have grown
impatient waiting for
justice and reparations.
1159
01:20:37,583 --> 01:20:41,285
It's part of that
cry for justice,
1160
01:20:41,320 --> 01:20:44,889
Because there
was economic loss.
1161
01:20:44,924 --> 01:20:47,625
The economic loss
was devastating.
1162
01:20:47,660 --> 01:20:50,127
It was loss of
generational wealth.
1163
01:20:50,163 --> 01:20:52,229
And there's also
generational pain.
1164
01:20:52,265 --> 01:20:56,133
Robert: We will
continue to March for truth!
1165
01:20:56,169 --> 01:20:58,469
March for justice!
1166
01:20:58,504 --> 01:21:01,572
No justice, no peace!
1167
01:21:01,607 --> 01:21:04,675
No justice, no peace!
1168
01:21:04,710 --> 01:21:06,343
Reparations!
1169
01:21:06,379 --> 01:21:12,716
Not tomorrow, but we
demand reparations now!
1170
01:21:16,789 --> 01:21:19,924
Lisa: A lot of
people say "reparations."
1171
01:21:19,959 --> 01:21:22,693
I use "restorative justice."
1172
01:21:22,728 --> 01:21:27,698
We need to start
with acknowledging
what has happened.
1173
01:21:27,733 --> 01:21:31,302
And, restorative justice,
is a, you know,
1174
01:21:31,337 --> 01:21:33,971
To me includes
reconciliation
and healing.
1175
01:21:34,006 --> 01:21:37,141
Lenora: I'm here to
focus on land loss.
1176
01:21:37,176 --> 01:21:39,810
Lisa: And there's been
committees and commissions
1177
01:21:39,845 --> 01:21:41,812
And a lot of things
that have happened,
1178
01:21:41,847 --> 01:21:47,451
But there hasn't been
a healing in the
community of elaine.
1179
01:21:47,486 --> 01:21:53,557
Joann: Share with us just
the name of one person
1180
01:21:53,593 --> 01:21:58,495
Who you believe has been
impacted greatly,
1181
01:21:58,531 --> 01:22:02,833
Who did not die, but
they clearly represent,
1182
01:22:02,868 --> 01:22:07,905
In your view,
somebody who's
walking, but dead.
1183
01:22:07,940 --> 01:22:13,143
James: My auntie
just passed on,
maybe a month ago.
1184
01:22:13,179 --> 01:22:16,046
After 1919, she
went to mississippi.
1185
01:22:16,082 --> 01:22:18,315
Joann: Yeah.
James: And she
never came back.
1186
01:22:18,351 --> 01:22:21,252
Wendell: Would you
call your aunt's name?
1187
01:22:21,287 --> 01:22:27,891
Because it is important that
the names of those who have
1188
01:22:27,927 --> 01:22:34,231
Lived, died, and been
affected be called.
1189
01:22:34,267 --> 01:22:35,833
Joann: I know.
That's right.
1190
01:22:35,868 --> 01:22:37,001
Wendell: Would
you call her name,
please?
1191
01:22:37,036 --> 01:22:39,203
James: Dorothy jones.
Joann: Appreciate it.
1192
01:22:39,238 --> 01:22:41,305
Wendell: Thank you.
Joann: We call her name.
1193
01:22:41,340 --> 01:22:47,878
Wendell: We call her
name, dorothy jones.
Joann: Praise god! Thank you.
1194
01:22:53,586 --> 01:22:58,055
Lenora: A few years ago,
I believe it was 2012,
we held a ceremony,
1195
01:22:58,090 --> 01:23:00,624
And we came to this very spot,
1196
01:23:00,660 --> 01:23:05,129
And we just prayed that the
land would be healed.
1197
01:23:05,164 --> 01:23:09,233
We thank you, dear master,
for your amazing grace.
1198
01:23:09,268 --> 01:23:12,052
We thank you for
these who are here,
1199
01:23:12,104 --> 01:23:15,072
Dear god, to help
this story be told.
1200
01:23:15,107 --> 01:23:18,475
We ask that you would
be with us and give us
wisdom and knowledge.
1201
01:23:18,511 --> 01:23:21,578
And, we say thank you,
and we're forever grateful.
1202
01:23:21,614 --> 01:23:24,448
In jesus' mighty name.
Amen.
1203
01:23:24,483 --> 01:23:28,018
James: Amen.
Lenora: Amen.
Deneen: Amen.
1204
01:23:39,965 --> 01:23:42,066
And people are starting
to really look at elaine,
1205
01:23:42,101 --> 01:23:46,904
But we have no idea to this
day what really happened or
1206
01:23:46,939 --> 01:23:49,673
The exact number of
people who were killed.
1207
01:23:50,710 --> 01:23:52,643
During the red summer, if
the white community was
1208
01:23:52,678 --> 01:23:56,246
Controlling the situation,
once the violence was over,
1209
01:23:56,282 --> 01:23:59,416
The impulse of every
community was just,
"how did that happen?
1210
01:23:59,452 --> 01:24:01,985
We're better than that,"
and that was the end of it,
1211
01:24:02,021 --> 01:24:05,222
But that was not
the case in chicago.
1212
01:24:09,562 --> 01:24:13,530
John: In chicago, a hapless
black man swims by accident
1213
01:24:13,566 --> 01:24:16,834
Into the white swimming
space on lake michigan.
1214
01:24:16,869 --> 01:24:21,438
There's a confrontation
that the young black
man ends up dying.
1215
01:24:21,474 --> 01:24:27,644
That leads to a riot
where many people are
killed in chicago.
1216
01:24:33,185 --> 01:24:37,654
Cameron: This enormous, vital,
important economic hub of the
1217
01:24:37,690 --> 01:24:43,193
United states was
in chaos for a week.
1218
01:24:43,229 --> 01:24:46,230
Because the african-american
community had grown to the
1219
01:24:46,265 --> 01:24:49,800
Point where it was not only an
important economic component
1220
01:24:49,835 --> 01:24:52,836
Of the city, but also
political because black people
1221
01:24:52,872 --> 01:24:58,809
Could vote and their
vote was critical in
mayor's getting elected.
1222
01:24:58,844 --> 01:25:02,379
So the city of
chicago, they did a very,
1223
01:25:02,415 --> 01:25:04,581
Very detailed
study of the riot.
1224
01:25:04,617 --> 01:25:06,917
Who was injured?
What race they were?
1225
01:25:06,952 --> 01:25:08,819
Where a lot of these
incidents occurred?
1226
01:25:08,854 --> 01:25:10,954
It's very specific.
1227
01:25:17,763 --> 01:25:22,733
Deneen: "the negro in chicago:
A study of race relations and
a race riot.
1228
01:25:22,768 --> 01:25:27,538
The commission presents for
the consideration and action
1229
01:25:27,573 --> 01:25:30,474
Of state and local authorities
1230
01:25:30,509 --> 01:25:34,862
The following recommendations
and suggestions.
1231
01:25:34,914 --> 01:25:39,049
That all reports and
complaints of neglect of duty
1232
01:25:39,084 --> 01:25:42,453
Or participation and
rioting by police,
1233
01:25:42,488 --> 01:25:47,357
Deputy sheriffs or militia be
promptly investigated and
1234
01:25:47,393 --> 01:25:50,394
The offenders
properly punished."
1235
01:25:50,429 --> 01:25:53,564
♪ in the morning ♪
1236
01:25:53,599 --> 01:25:56,500
♪ feet to the earth ♪♪
1237
01:25:56,802 --> 01:26:00,737
Deneen: "that the newspapers
generally apply the same
standards of
1238
01:26:00,773 --> 01:26:05,742
Accuracy, fairness and sense
of proportion and publishing
1239
01:26:05,778 --> 01:26:09,246
News about negroes
as about whites."
1240
01:26:09,281 --> 01:26:12,316
♪ cold pavement pressed ♪
1241
01:26:12,351 --> 01:26:15,586
"we urge all
citizens, white and negro,
1242
01:26:15,621 --> 01:26:20,390
Vigorously to oppose all
propaganda of malicious or
1243
01:26:20,426 --> 01:26:25,796
Selfish origin, which
would tend to excite
race prejudice."
1244
01:26:29,969 --> 01:26:32,436
♪ who have you been? ♪
1245
01:26:32,471 --> 01:26:35,672
Deneen: What immediately stands
out for me is they're calling
1246
01:26:35,708 --> 01:26:39,810
For the end of racial
prejudice, and this is 1919,
1247
01:26:39,845 --> 01:26:42,312
And these are still issues
that we're dealing with
1248
01:26:42,348 --> 01:26:44,948
100 years later.
1249
01:26:48,554 --> 01:26:51,421
♪ what can you do? ♪
1250
01:26:51,457 --> 01:26:54,091
Cameron: We think that we're
so evolved and we're better
1251
01:26:54,126 --> 01:26:57,294
Than the people in 1919,
we're better than our earlier
1252
01:26:57,329 --> 01:27:00,797
Generations, but the ghosts
of the problems that they were
1253
01:27:00,833 --> 01:27:03,934
Facing are haunting us still,
and we need to wrestle with
1254
01:27:03,969 --> 01:27:07,337
Those things because it makes
us a better country if we
1255
01:27:07,373 --> 01:27:10,974
Incorporate the truth
into what happened.
1256
01:27:11,010 --> 01:27:15,178
Regina: It says, "place a
headstone at this site of your
victory,"
1257
01:27:15,214 --> 01:27:18,348
And it's talking
about we've got to have
that enduring spirit.
1258
01:27:18,384 --> 01:27:20,350
We've got to know
that beyond death,
1259
01:27:20,386 --> 01:27:23,220
There is a destiny that
we're still pursuing.
1260
01:27:23,255 --> 01:27:27,057
And so what it means
is that we cannot let
our ancestors down.
1261
01:27:28,894 --> 01:27:31,495
♪ in the morning ♪
1262
01:27:31,530 --> 01:27:35,432
♪ feet to the earth ♪
1263
01:27:37,036 --> 01:27:41,038
♪ we're transforming ♪
1264
01:27:41,073 --> 01:27:45,075
♪ a little rebirth ♪♪
1265
01:27:45,110 --> 01:27:51,148
Deneen: I still have hope
that the stories that are
untold will be told.
1266
01:27:51,183 --> 01:27:54,751
I still have hope the country
will give black people
1267
01:27:54,787 --> 01:27:58,889
The justice and the black
ancestors justice that they
1268
01:27:58,924 --> 01:28:02,559
Have been demanding
for so many years.
1269
01:28:04,263 --> 01:28:05,996
Celillianne: I
cry for my people.
1270
01:28:06,031 --> 01:28:08,432
I shed the tear that
they maybe could not shed,
1271
01:28:08,467 --> 01:28:11,435
And at the same time, I
recognize that in telling
1272
01:28:11,470 --> 01:28:17,874
The story of what happened to
us, we can understand what it
is that we have come through.
1273
01:28:18,644 --> 01:28:22,579
So this idea that we will
make america what it was,
no, no, no.
1274
01:28:22,615 --> 01:28:25,916
We will make america
what she should be.
1275
01:28:25,951 --> 01:28:28,385
That's where we are now.
1276
01:28:35,127 --> 01:28:36,593
Captioned by
cotter media group.