The 21st Show

Illinois and Oklahoma History Exchange Project

 
In this 1921 image provided by the Library of Congress, smoke billows over Tulsa, Okla. For decades, when it was discussed at all, the killing of hundreds of people in a prosperous black business district in 1921 was referred to as the Tulsa race riot.

In this 1921 image provided by the Library of Congress, smoke billows over Tulsa, Okla. For decades, when it was discussed at all, the killing of hundreds of people in a prosperous black business district in 1921 was referred to as the Tulsa race riot. Alvin C. Krupnick Co./Library of Congress via AP

The history exchange is a program from the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder, that brings virtual lessons to students. Students in Illinois are connecting virtually with students in Tulsa, Oklahoma to explore their cities' common histories with racial violence. The project is taking a look at the race riot of 1919 in Chicago and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, which deeply affected the Black communities in both cities, where segregation has left lasting scars a century later. 

Guests:

Franklin Cosey-Gay, Executive Director of the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention at University of Chicago, Co-director of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration Project 

Peter Cole, Professor of History at Western Illinois University, Founder & Co-director of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration Project (CRR19)

 

Prepared for web by Zainab Qureshi

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