Greenwood Rising: Black Wall Street History Center
In 2021, Tulsa observed the centennial anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The tragic events of May 31 – June 1, 1921 destroyed the historic Black business district known as Black Wall Street and the surrounding community that once stretched outward from Greenwood Avenue leaving thousands homeless, hundreds injured, and an unknown number killed. Tulsa, like so many other American cities, continues to grapple with the legacy of its historical racial trauma.

Through acknowledgement, apology, and atonement, Tulsa sought to heal its lingering wounds and be both a beacon and a positive example for other communities seeking racial reconciliation. In 2016, a group of federal, state, and local leaders formed the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission. Their mission was to “leverage the rich history surrounding the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by facilitating actions, activities, and events that commemorate and educate all citizens.” 

In service of that mission, the Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission engaged our firm to develop and execute an experience design for the history center located at the heart of Tulsa’s Greenwood District. Beginning with a series of onsite workshops and interviews in Tulsa in July 2019, the team worked in close collaboration with the Greenwood Rising project team, the architects, and key community stakeholders to develop an experience that would remember and honor the victims and survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, and create an environment conducive to fostering entrepreneurship, heritage tourism, and dialogue. 

The resulting Greenwood Rising visitor experience tells the specific story of the dignity of a people who turned trials, tribulations, and tragedy into a triumph of the human spirit.