Maurice Willows, Director of Relief for the American Red Cross, compiled this report about the Tulsa Race Massacre that took place May 31-June 1, 1921.
The Tulsa Massacre was one of the worst instances of mass racial violence in American history. The violence was driven largely by White hostility toward African-American economic prosperity, and it centered on Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Greenwood District (also known as Black Wall Street), a commercial area with many successful Black-owned businesses. In 24 hours, hundreds were killed, thousands displaced, and 35 city blocks were burned to ruins. The attack on Black Wall Street included the first aerial bombing of a U.S. city.
The American National Red Cross provided relief to many victims of this massacre. The Tulsa Chapter compiled reports and a photo album relating to their management of the disaster relief effort.
This report provides an overview of the “disaster,” including causes; numbers of dead and injured; burning and property loss; lack of response by the police and fire department; relief provided by the Red Cross – including money, food, housing, first aid and medical care; claims for relief funds submitted by white people claiming to be “innocent bystanders”; reconstruction; and the “Negro attitude” after being denied payments from insurance companies to account for their losses.
Also included is a newspaper article about the supposed initial cause of the violence – a claim by a white woman working in an elevator that a Black delivery man assaulted her (the charges were dropped and there were no grounds to prosecute the man).
This report comes from a larger file of Red Cross reports about the Tulsa Race Massacre. See the full file in the National Archives Catalog.
