Remembering The Tulsa Massacre of 1921: Shows And Docs To Watch

Courtesy of CNN Films

By Okla Jones · Updated June 1, 2022

On May 31 and June 1, 1921, the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was the site of one of the most horrific events in this nation’s history.

Also known as “Black Wall Street,” Greenwood was a thriving community for people of color, containing several Black-owned businesses, but was eventually burned to the ground in a matter of two days by mobs of white residents from the surrounding area.

The attacks have come to be known as the Tulsa Race Massacre, and in the 100 years since, the tragedy has become an often-overlooked part of American history. With the acclaim and popularity of recent HBO shows such as Watchmen and Lovecraft Country, there has been a newfound public interest in the incident, spawning several conversations, think pieces, and documentaries.

As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of this national tragedy, here are some documentaries available to stream that explore the events surrounding the massacre, while also examining themes of inequality, racial violence, and social injustice in America.

‘Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre’

Directed by Stanley Nelson and Marco Williams, this 2021 documentary on HISTORY focused on the creation of Black Wall Street, its downfall due to violence, and the fallout and reconstruction. Watch HERE.

‘Tulsa: The Fire and the Forgotten’

Produced and directed by Jonathan Silvers and narrated by journalist Michel Martin with reporting from DeNeen L. Brown, PBS’s The Fire and the Forgotten examines the tragedy along with the area’s attempt to memorialize the tragic events today. Watch HERE.

‘Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street’

Last year, CNN premiered this documentary centering around the history of Greenwood and the violent events of May 31 and June 1, 1921. Watch HERE.

‘Tulsa 1921: An American Tragedy’

Anchored by Gayle King, the co-host of CBS This Morning, this hour-long CBS special includes stories from survivors of the massacre, their descendants, and historians of the event. Watch HERE.

‘The Legacy of Black Wall Street’

OWN aired The Legacy of Black Wall Street, which highlighted the rise of Black Wall Street in Oklahoma’s Greenwood District, up until the 1921 Tulsa race massacre that destroyed the 36-block business community. Watch HERE.

‘Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer’

Directed by Dawn Porter, Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer follows Washington Post reporter DeNeen Brown as she tells the story of a mass grave in Tulsa Oklahoma and investigates the history of violence that swept across the United States in the early 20th century. Watch HERE.