Juneteenth: ‘Black Lives Matter’ painted overnight on street in Tulsa’s Greenwood District, celebration begins

Update: Juneteenth participants celebrated while also getting their message across at the annual festival in Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District.

The atmosphere again was festive, but many attendees wore shirts with words like “I Can’t Breathe,” “Black Lives Matter” and “Demanding a Just Tulsa” to express their feelings about current events.

At one of the many festival tables near the Greenwood Cultural Center, 322 N. Greenwood Ave., an artist who identified himself only as Awesome Jeremy was teaching a fresh batch of kids how to paint.

“You guys did a good job,” he said.

Asked to summarize what the festival is all about, he said, “Empowerment to the black people, man — empowerment and bringing us together at the same time, all of us, and trying to show us the platform of equality. Some people don’t understand it. You have to show them the platform. But that’s what it’s all about in a nutshell.”

Kids played catch with a football, people posed for photos in front of a Black Wall Street mural and music from KBOB (Black on Black Community radio) filled the air as Awesome Jeremy provided art instruction.

“It’s cool,” he said of the festival. “My thing, it’s all about individually what you want to bring to the table. Me, it’s all about empowering the youth and teaching them to have a better future here.”

Update 3 p.m.: Entertainment began at 3 p.m. on the Juneteenth stage with the father-son rap act J Friday and JJ.

JJ, born with cerebral palsy, proved himself an adept rapper. He earned appreciative shouts and applause from a growing crowd as he rapped the line, “What you think of me now?”

Entertainment will continue through the evening.

Update: There are visible reminders that the Juneteenth celebration is being staged during a pandemic.

Signs were posted to let people know that, by attending the event, they voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure of COVID-19.

Signs that said “thank you for practicing social distancing” also were present along the festival route.

A Stay Healthy Zone table at the corner of Greenwood Avenue and Cameron Street gave away face masks and shirts to attendees while also making hand sanitizer available.

The complimentary face masks (26,000, according to a table staffer) were made available to attendees through a partnership with the non-profit organization, Until We Do It.

Representatives from the Stay Healthy Zone table roamed the festival grounds with bags of masks to distribute them to attendees.

What percentage of festival-goers are wearing masks? A Tulsa World reporter stood in one place and kept track of the first 100 people who walked past. Of those 100 people, 84 wore masks. The reporter later did another random mask count and 75 of 100 passersby wore masks.

Update 2:45 p.m.: Greenwood Avenue was closed to street traffic for Juneteenth, but one vehicle – a book bus – was parked in the street so little readers could pick out free books.

Caiden Plump, 3, picked out books about a fire truck and a race car driver. Emily Mercado, 11, selected a book about drama. Lorenzo Plump, 6, chose books about a shark and bugs.

The book bus was courtesy of Gaining Ground (gaininggroundliteracy.org).

The book bus was equipped with a slide in the back just to make reading a little more fun.

Update 2:10 p.m.: Early in the day, kids played on inflatables near the historic Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church. Festival-goers chatted, listened to music and got in line at food trucks to satisfy lunch cravings.

At 1:35 p.m. rain was heavy enough to send Juneteenth attendees in search of cover. Among choice locations was the overhang of Greenwood Cultural Center, where people tried to simultaneously social distance and stay dry.

The “rain delay” gave some festival guests a chance to know King a little better. King is a 6-week-old pup. The pup was an early birthday present for Jordyn Gilton, who cradled King in her arms. King attracted a lot of attention and affection.

Gilton said she case to Juneteenth to support Black Lives Matter.

The rain picked up at 1:56, making it more challenging to stay dry, but it subsided shortly thereafter and people ventured out from cover to resume the celebration.

Update 1 p.m.: Wearing a “Black Wall Street 1921” face mask, Jacki Jackson of Bixby stood in front of the 1921 Black Wall Street Memorial outside the Greenwood Cultural Center. Jackson had her photograph taken by others and she took a selfie.

Jackson should be used to having her photo taken. She said she was Miss Black Tulsa in 2000.

Asked why she took photos Friday in front of the memorial, she said,

“I remember when I was Miss Black Tulsa, I didn’t know anything about Black Wall Street. So when I came here today I decided to bring my kids (ages 15 and 11). I am teaching them the history that I had to learn about. It’s very important to take a picture and this is very historical for what happened to our ancestors in 1921, almost 100 years ago.”

Jackson said Miss Black Tulsa is in its 50th anniversary year.

Juneteenth attendees arrive to find “Black Lives Matter” painted on the street

Prior to Tulsa’s Juneteenth celebration, more than 50 individuals chipped in to help paint “Black Lives Matter” on a Greenwood District street.

The project was launched at 11 p.m. Thursday with a group of five people, but others flocked to the site to help and the paint job was finished around 7 a.m.

“We had this crazy idea and somehow, thanks to our amazing community, we were able to pull it off,” Briana Shea said in a Facebook post. “Thank you all and damn, it feels good. Stay safe everyone.”

Shea said love support and donations came flooding in after the idea was pitched to the community.

The Greenwood District is home to Black Wall Street, where African-American-owned businesses suffered destruction during the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.

Tulsa’s Juneteenth celebration started Friday in the Greenwood District. Juneteeth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, when Union troops at the end of the Civil War reached Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to inform African-Americans there of the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued two years before.

Activist and politician the Rev. Al Sharpton is scheduled to make a 7 p.m. keynote address at Tulsa’s Juneteenth celebration. The Original Lakeside Band and American gospel musician Le’Andrea Johnson are among entertainers. The event will also feature local vendor booths, food trucks, and children’s activities.

Due to an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19, Tulsa Juneteenth is taking enhanced operational measures to ensure the health and safety of all guests and volunteers attending Friday’s event. Attendees are strongly encouraged to wear their mask and exercise recommended social distancing practices at all times.

Complimentary face masks will be available to attendees through a partnership with the non-profit organization, Until We Do It.

Featured News Video: Officials give an update on the COVID-19 during a June 17, press conference

‘Black Lives Matter’ painted overnight on street in Tulsa’s Greenwood District

Close

Amari Young (from left), 8; his mother Beatrice Lewis; her son Anthony Lewis, 11, and his sister Alayshia Lewis, 19; walk on the new Black Wall Street lettering on Greenwood Avenue during Juneteenth festivities, on Friday, June 19, 2020. CORY YOUNG/for the Tulsa World

Ronald Stewart raises his fist while standing over the phrase “Black Lives Matter” painted on the street near the corner of Archer Street and Greenwood Avenue in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday, June 19, 2020. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Two men who did not want to be identified film a video near the phrase “Black Lives Matter” painted on the street near the corner of Archer Street and Greenwood Avenue in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday, June 19, 2020. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Tré Coleman dances down Greenwood Avenue during a Juneteenth celebration in the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday, June 19, 2020. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

The phrase “Black Lives Matter” is painted on the street near the corner of Archer Street and Greenwood Avenue in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday, June 19, 2020. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

The phrase “Black Lives Matter” is painted on the street near the corner of Archer Street and Greenwood Avenue in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday, June 19, 2020. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

The phrase “Black Lives Matter” is painted on a street near the corner of Archer Street and Greenwood Avenue. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

A man walks across the phrase “Black Lives Matter” painted on the street near the corner of Archer Street and Greenwood Avenue in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday, June 19, 2020. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Pictured is the Black Lives Matter writing on Greenwood Avenue on Friday, June 19, 2020. CORY YOUNG/for the Tulsa World

Brittany Williams and Alan Daniels walk on the Black Wall Street lettering on Greenwood Avenue on Friday, June 19, 2020. CORY YOUNG/for the Tulsa World

People seek shelter during a rain storm on Greenwood Avenue during Juneteenth festivities on Friday, June 19, 2020. CORY YOUNG/for the Tulsa World

A man runs across Greenwood Avenue during Juneteenth festivities amidst a rain storm on Friday, June 19, 2020. CORY YOUNG/for the Tulsa World

‘); }