‘To Teach The Truth’: Greenwood Rising Days Away From Opening Doors To The Public

The Greenwood Rising Museum is just days away from opening its doors to the public.

Members of the Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission said the museum will impact the City of Tulsa for decades to come.

The story of The Race Massacre is not the only story of Greenwood. There was glory here, a thriving community full of businesses, and homes; and after the massacre, Greenwood rose again, and again and again.

The story of Greenwood is a story of resurrection and Greenwood Rising tells that story, starting with an entry video.

"His name is Trey Thaxton, many people know him in Greenwood. African American man, creative, has his own business called Greenwood Ave. He wrote, produced and edited, the entry video," said 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission Project Director Phil Armstrong. 

After the entry video, you are led through the history of how Black Wall Street began and then, you experience the thriving community for yourself.

"There was actually a TC Barber shop in Tulsa in the 1940's, you meet TC, Jerome and George," said Armstrong. 

You can sit back and take a seat in the barber's chair. Then you are led into the ugly truths of the history that led to the massacre.

"What you are about to see before we go forward is graphic images of the history of the role of the Ku Klux Klan, the events that led to a 1921," said Armstrong "We have a safe space where people can actually go and see a condensed version of this."

You hear a first-hand account of the massacre from the mouths of survivors. Then the museum leads you into the aftermath, the rebuilding and the present - what we can all do in this moment to create a better world. 

"Greenwood Rising and this exhibit is not here to make people comfortable, it is here to teach the truth," said Armstrong. 

To learn more, visit the website here.