Greenwood Chamber Of Commerce Celebrates District’s Recognition As Historical Site

After weeks of commemorating and memorializing the Tulsa Race Massacre, the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce is celebrating the district’s addition to the National Register of Historic Places.

The district joins Mount Zion Baptist Church and Vernon AME Church as Greenwood's historical markers.

Greenwood Chamber of Commerce President Dr. Freeman Culver said this is a big step towards growth.

"This is for real," Culver said. "This is not just some moment, just something symbolically that we're doing here. This is actually a historic site." 

Culver said being put on the National Register of Historical Places is a much bigger deal than people realize. He believes it could lead to bright futures for businesses here in Greenwood.

"Fix all the hiccups that we have in these buildings, get more business owners, it gives us attention so we're going to get more members to the chamber," Culver said. 

Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith also said the celebration is long overdue. 

She said she's full of emotion seeing the progress Greenwood has made over the decades.

"I've learned so much in 40 years and, it wasn't in the map," Keith said. "It's about time we understood this history. It really is a history of resiliency. Today they're putting us back on the map for this, and we need to turn it into a positive, and this is a good step in that direction."