Greenwood & Black Wall Street Tour

In 1921 an attack on Black Tulsa was so atrocious that city leaders tried to hide the truth. For decades. The Tulsa Race Massacre was the most destructive racial violence in U.S. history, but was not the end of Black Wall Street — heart of the Black-owned Greenwood neighborhood.

For large groups we can put you in touch with the Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce. For individuals and small groups, here are tour options to consider:

1. Greenwood Rising is a Black Wall Street history museum open 10am-7pm daily except closed Mon. Walk in or make a reservation for timed entry. This is a self-guided experience. Groups of 20+ people have the option for a guided tour inside the museum. Greenwood Rising is at 23 N. Greenwood Ave and Archer St. Call (539) 867-3173 for info.

2. The free Greenwood Cultural Center is open Mon-Fri 9-5 but closed Sat-Sun. Pictorial exhibits and survivors gallery testimonials are worth a look. Free parking on-site.

3. For a tour owned and operated by descendants, try Real Black Wall Street Tours

4. Another option is to tour with Terry the “Mayor of Greenwood”

5. Kode, owner of Black Wall Street Liquid Lounge, is a wealth of knowledge and offers tours with an economic focus. You can also drop by and chat with him at his coffee shop. He also leads some of our tours.

Can you visit Black Wall Street?

Yes, you can visit Black Wall Street on a guided tour or by exploring yourself with our neighborhood guide. Here are things to do in Greenwood followed by resources for further reading.

Black Wall Street Museum (Greenwood Rising)

At Greenwood & Archer — gateway to historic Black Wall Street — this history museum features interactive exhibits, including a holographic barbershop. You can walk in or make a timed reservation. Plan to spend an hour here.

23 N. Greenwood Ave | Tue-Sun 10am-7pm, closed Mon | (539) 867-3173

Shops on Greenwood Avenue

Stroll a block of brick storefronts on Greenwood that were quickly rebuilt after the 1921 disaster and spared from the wrecking ball decades later. Take note of metal plaques on the sidewalk marking the fate of Black-owned businesses 100 years ago.

Next to Greenwood Rising is the new location of Fulton Street Books & Coffee while across the street is Black Wall Street Liquid Lounge and Silhouette Sneakers & Art that share the address 10 N Greenwood Ave.

Read more about tours and Black-owned businesses and see the map at bottom of the page.

Murals of Greenwood pioneers & jackie robinson

Two fresh murals from 2021 are colorful photo ops. “History in the Making” by artist Skip Hill depicts Greenwood residents from transportation entrepreneurs like Simon Berry (standing beside his airplane) to educators to WWI vets on the side of 111 N. Greenwood Ave. Hill illustrated the children’s book Opal’s Greenwood Oasis on which this mural is based.

On the other side of Greenwood Ave, and facing the baseball field, is Jackie Robinson. Read more about this mural on our self-guided mural tour.

Black Wall Street Mural

This stunning mural celebrates the material and cultural riches of Greenwood while mourning its destruction at the hands of a murderous white mob 103 years ago. The Black Wall Street mural is located on the north side of I-244 at N. Greenwood Ave. Read more about its creation on our self-guided mural tour.

Vernon AME Church

The bottom of Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church is the only partial structure to survive the ravages of the Race Massacre that remains today. The outside was turned into a prayer wall for racial healing. Although the rest of the church was destroyed in 1921, it was rebuilt using this original foundation. Named for bishop W. T. Vernon, the church was founded in 1905 and has been on this parcel since 1908, making it the longest land-owning institution in Greenwood. vernoname.com | 311 N. Greenwood Ave

Black Wall Street Memorial

Across the street from Vernon AME, this memorial lists Greenwood’s Black-owned businesses that were destroyed in 1921 and enumerates their insurance claims — all denied because of the “riot.” It was dedicated on the 75th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre and refurbished before the centennial.

Greenwood Cultural Center

Through photographs and transcribed interviews, the Greenwood Cultural Center educates visitors about life in Greenwood and the impact of the Race Massacre. Don’t miss the room with survivors’ stories that recount, decades later, their deeply personal trauma as young children. Closed on weekends. greenwoodculturalcenter.com | 322 N. Greenwood Ave

Mabel B. Little Heritage House

The only residential structure of 1920s Greenwood still standing is a museum with period furnishings and decor. Owned by survivors Sam and Lucy Mackey, it would have been destroyed by urban renewal, but was relocated here. It shares an address and website with the Greenwood Cultural Center next door.

John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park

After you’re done on Greenwood Avenue, head here to reflect on the past. This reconciliation park ranks highly on our list of free things to do in Tulsa. Visit in early November for peak foliage.

Pathway to Hope

A new path connects John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park with Greenwood Avenue (Black Wall Street). It runs between ONEOK baseball field and the I-244 highway that fractured the neighborhood before urban renewal bulldozed the rest.

Resources

To learn more about Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre, read these books and reports. This is just a starter list that will lead you to even more resources.

Tulsa, 1921: Reporting a Massacre
by Randy Krehbiel (2019)
Long-time Tulsa World government reporter looks back into newspapers and published sources to form a narrative of what happened and why. The book include a chapter about more recent racial crimes like the murder of Terrence Crutcher by law enforcement in 2016.

Death in a Promised Land: The Tulsa Race Riot of 1921
by Dr. Scott Ellsworth (1992)

Black Wall Street: From Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District
by Hannibal B. Johnson (2007)

The Burning: Massacre, Destruction, and the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921
by Tim Madigan (2003)

Events of the Tulsa Disaster
by Mrs. Mary E. Jones Parrish (1922)
First-hand account by a survivor who interviewed others and compiled them privately. The Inter-Racial Committee then hired her to create a report, which resulted in this book. The granular details of the violence and looting make for a fascinating read. The reprinted version can be purchased at the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation by calling their office (918) 295-5009.

Digital Resources

Tulsa Historical Society - 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

Oklahoma Historical Society - Tulsa Race Riot Report (2001 report, PDF)

Oklahoma State University-Tulsa Library - Race Massacre Archive

Please note: Our small group tours are paused indefinitely because the Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce has shifted its focus to work with only large groups.

Guests get a free ticket to Greenwood Rising museum ($15/adult value) after the tour.

Our tour doesn’t focus on the massacre. Instead, it’s about how African Americans arrived in Oklahoma, how Black Wall Street prospered, why it was attacked, how it got rebuilt, and why it was later dismantled.