President Joe Biden to visit Greenwood 100 years after its destruction.

“There was a great shadow in the sky and upon a second look, we discerned that this cloud was caused by fast approaching aeroplanes. It then dawned upon us that the enemy had organized in the night and was invading our district the same as the Germans invaded France and Belgium.”

Mary Jones Parrish, author of “Events of the Tulsa Disaster”

“I heard him holler and looked up and saw him coming about twenty-five feet away from me or thirty, with this hands up, and he said, ‘Here am I.’ …

“I said to the fellows, “This is Dr. Jackson. Don’t hurt him. … Two men fired at him … he fell at the second shot with the high powered rifle.”

Former City Commissioner John Oliphant, describing the murder of Dr. A.C. Jackson

“… Some negoes who had barricaded themselves in houses refused to stop firing and had to be killed.”

John W. McCuen, Captain of the B Company Third Infantry Oklahoma National Guard, in a written report

 “After lining up some 30 or 40 of us men they ran us through the streets to Convention Hall, forcing us to keep our hands in the air all the while. While we were running some of the ruffians would shoot at our heels and swore at those who had difficulty in keeping up. They actually drove a car into the bunch and knocked down two or three men. When we reached Convention Hall, we were searched again. There people were herded in like cattle. The sick and wounded were dumped out in front of the building and remained without attention for hours.”

James T.A. West, High School Teacher (Source: “Events of the Tulsa Disaster)

“My greatest loss was my beautiful home and my family Bible. I am 92 years of age, so they failed to bother me.”

Jack Thomas (Source: “Events of the Tulsa Disaster”)

“Shortly after daylight on Wednesday, June 1, 1921, I received a call to come to the hospital to dress two wounded men. I dressed hurriedly and started to the hospital. Just as I opened my front door a shot was fired at me from a nearby hill, the bullet grazed my leg. I shut the door. A few moments later my wife, hearing the shots, slightly opened the door and a second volley was fired.”

Dr. R.T. Bridgewater 

Bridgewater was taken to Convention Hall to be held but soon was released. He returned to find his home ransacked. “I saw my piano and all of my elegant furniture piled in the street. My safe had been broken open, all of the money stolen, also my silverware, cut glass, all of the family clothing, and everything of value had been removed, even my family Bible.”

(Source: “Events of the Tulsa Disaster”)

Photo courtesy of Department of Special Collections, McFarlin Library, The University of Tulsa

Mike Simons