Tulsa Race Massacre Was a “Coordinated, Military-Style Attack,” Federal Report Finds

A new Justice Department report has concluded that the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, in which hundreds of Black residents were killed and a thriving Black community was destroyed, was not a spontaneous act of mob violence but a “coordinated, military-style attack” by white citizens.

The report, the first official federal account of the events, details how white Tulsans, including deputized citizens, systematically targeted Greenwood, known as “Black Wall Street.” The attack, fueled by racial resentment and a desire to maintain white supremacy, resulted in widespread destruction, looting, and the deaths of an estimated 300 Black residents.

While no criminal charges can be brought against individuals today, the report underscores the severity of the crimes committed and acknowledges the enduring impact of the massacre on the Black community in Tulsa.