The Tulsa Race Riots, also commonly known as the Tulsa Race Massacre, were sparked by a confrontation between a young African American man named Rowland and a white elevator operator named Sarah Page on May 30, 1921. It is believed that Rowland accidentally stumbled and grabbed onto Page's arm, which caused her to scream. The exact details of their interaction are still unclear.
Following this incident, Rowland was arrested and rumors began spreading throughout the city that he had assaulted Page. A mob of white residents gathered outside the courthouse where Rowland was being held, demanding that he be lynched. As tensions escalated, a group of armed African American men arrived to protect Rowland, leading to a confrontation between the two groups.
The violence quickly spread throughout the predominantly African American Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, with white mobs attacking homes, businesses, and churches, leaving hundreds dead and thousands of African Americans displaced. The local police and National Guard also played a role in the violence, providing support to the white mobs and arresting African American residents.
Historians believe that the Tulsa Race Riots were fueled by deep-rooted racism, economic jealousy, and a desire to maintain white supremacy in the Jim Crow era. The massacre was one of the deadliest instances of racial violence in American history and its impact on the African American community in Tulsa continues to be felt to this day.
What caused the Tulsa Race Riots?
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Where did the confrontation occur?
The confrontation between Rowland and Sarah Page, which sparked the Tulsa Race Riots, occurred in the Drexel Building, located in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Drexel Building housed various businesses, including a segregated elevator operated by Sarah Page. The exact details of what transpired between Rowland and Page in the elevator remain disputed, but it was this incident that set off a chain of events leading to the tragic and violent events of May 31 to June 1, 1921.
So they were in an elevator?
Yes, the confrontation between Rowland and Sarah Page that sparked the Tulsa Race Riots took place in an elevator in the Drexel Building in downtown Tulsa. Rowland, a young African American man, was accused of assaulting Page, a white elevator operator, on May 30, 1921. The specifics of what exactly happened in the elevator are unclear and have been the subject of much speculation and debate. The incident in the elevator led to Rowland's arrest and fueled the racial tensions that ultimately erupted into violence and destruction in the city of Tulsa.
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