1921 Commission Planning ‘Remember and Rise’ Event Featuring John Legend

Singer John Legend will be in Tulsa in about two weeks to help commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. He will perform at ONEOK Field as part of the day's events. 

The event will be called "Remember and Rise," and the plan is for it to be much more than a concert.  

Everyone who packs the Drillers Stadium on May 31st to see John Legend will hear him sing and speak. Legend is preparing to talk to Tulsans for 10-15 minutes before singing. 

"Not only come and lend your talent but come lend your passion. We want to hear from you,” 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission Project Director Phil Armstrong said. 

The gates at ONEOK Field will open at noon and before the Grammy award winner takes the stage, the crowd will hear from local black performers for four hours.  

Later in the night, right at 10:30 p.m., the public is invited to a candlelight vigil, filling Greenwood, Elgin and Archer for a 10-minute moment of silence. That will end with a recording of Legend's song "Glory," played through the Drillers stadium speakers.  

"10:30 p.m. May 31 is the 100th anniversary of when the first shots were fired,” Armstrong said.  

Armstrong said several other plans are in the works, including the potential for a presidential visit.  

"We have been in communication with the White House; they've been very interested,” Armstrong said.  

The commission expects Legend's visit to Tulsa will have a lasting impact, beyond the centennial.  

"Bringing John Legend in, someone at that level that the world will stop and say because he's there, I want to learn more about this history,” Armstrong said.  

Tickets are free and Armstrong said they will first be available to survivors and descendants, along with North Tulsa community leaders. 

The general public can reserve tickets starting May 21st at Tulsa2021.org. Armstrong said the crowd could be as large as 6,000 people.