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u.s. news Dialuna 31 Mei 2021

Tulsa Race Massacre centennial events proceed amid hiccups

(AP) — Joi McCondichie is a native potential for targeted violence at the
of this city, but her life and career in commemoration of the Tulsa mas-
public education kept her away from sacre, according to a federal law en-
home for decades. When she returned forcement official.
to Tulsa from Los Angeles with her
then-teenage son, she moved into The official, speaking on condition
a home just off of the Osage Prairie of anonymity to discuss a bulletin
Trail on the city’s north side. that was not publicly released, said
authorities don’t have credible intel-
It was on this trail that thousands of ligence about any specific plot to tar-
Black Tulsans fled the white mob get the Tulsa events. But the alert was
that leveled their community on May issued given the nature of the com-
31-June 1, 1921, in the calamity that memoration and the “volatile threat
came to be known as the Tulsa Race environment.”
Massacre.
McCondichie said her late grand-
“I believe God led me here because mother, Eldoris McCondichie, was
he had a task for me,” McCondichie among the survivors in 1921 who
said. streaming out of Greenwood, also testimony in a panel about the mas- Rising, a $30 million history center
McCondichie planned a march this known as Black Wall Street, the bus- sacre in the U.S. House of Represen- and museum. The commission says
weekend to memorialize those who tling city within a city that was the tatives. it honors the legacy of Black Wall
ran from what is considered one of picture of Black wealth and entrepre- Street with exhibits depicting the
the worst and deadliest acts of racial neurial success. “They will come down Black Wall Greenwood district before and after
violence in American history. Street, the historic Black Wall Street, the massacre.
That march is just one of an array On Tuesday morning, Joi McCon- in a horse and carriage,” said Tiffany
of events, culminating Tuesday with dichie’s “A Century Walk” will re- Crutcher, organizer of the Black Wall “When you go into Greenwood Ris-
a visit by President Joe Biden, who trace Greenwood residents’ escape. Street Legacy Festival, which is in- ing, we will actually have railroad
is expected to join local leaders in The walk will start along a 1.5 mile dependent of the city’s official com- tracks that you walk across” to re-
marking the occasion. stretch of abandoned railroad tracks memorations. member that Black and white Tulsa
near Greenwood and Archer ave- used to be divided by railroad tracks,
The weekend was to include a key- nues. And then the walkers will move “They’ll lead us into what we feel will said state Sen. Kevin Matthews, who
note speech from former Georgia north onto Osage Prairie Trail until be a very powerful, powerful week- chairs the massacre centennial com-
gubernatorial candidate and voting they reach 56th Street, between Peo- end to show deference and honor to mission. The history center is located
rights advocate Stacey Abrams and a ria Avenue and Martin Luther King, the lives that were lost and the de- in his legislative district, at Green-
performance by singer John Legend at Jr. Boulevard, where a community scendants and survivors who were wood and Archer avenues.
Tulsa’s ONEOK Field in the historic celebration awaits. still living,” Crutcher said.
Greenwood district. But organizers Republican Mayor G.T. Bynum, who
canceled the event on Thursday, cit- “I thought this would be a beautiful Other commemoration programs is white, said the weekend’s events
ing “unexpected circumstances with way to commemorate the ancestors include a Greenwood Art Project art are critical to a reconciliation process
entertainers and speakers.” by having or attempting to walk a installation and the dedication of a sorely needed in the city.
mile in their shoes,” Joi McCondich- prayer wall at Vernon AME Church,
Representatives for Abrams and Leg- ie said. one of the few Greenwood structures “I think the greatest mistake that
end did not respond to requests for Other events plan to feature the last that survived the massacre. could come out of this centennial
comment. three known living massacre sur- commemoration is if people look at it
Law enforcement organizations vivors -- 106-year-old Lessie Ben- Following the official massacre com- and think, ‘Well, that’s just something
around the U.S. received a bulletin ningfield Randle, 107-year-old Viola memorations, the 1921 Tulsa Race that happened a hundred years ago,’
this week from the Department of Fletcher, and 100-year-old Hughes Massacre Centennial Commission and not think about how it relates to
Homeland Security warning of the Van Ellis. Last week, the three gave on Wednesday will open Greenwood America today,” Bynum said.

2 dead, 20+ injured in Florida banquet hall shooting

(AP) — Two people died ami-Dade County, police Ramirez III said. Authorities Twitter. community when it comes
and an estimated 20 to told news outlets. believe the shooting was tar- to gun violence,” Jones said.
25 people were injured geted. “We mourn the loss of the But he acknowledged Re-
by gunfire in a shooting The banquet hall had been two victims and are praying publicans are resistant to dis-
outside a banquet hall in rented out for a concert. “These are cold blooded for the recovery of the more cuss the issue.
South Florida, police said. Three people got out of an murderers that shot indis- than 20 people injured at El
SUV and opened fire into a criminately into a crowd and Mula Banquet Hall near Hia- “Republicans don’t want to
The gunfire erupted early crowd outside with assault we will seek justice,” Ramirez leah. We are working with lo- talk about guns. They think
Sunday at the El Mula Ban- rifles and handguns, police said in a tweet. Two people cal authorities to bring justice we’re trying to take their guns
quet Hall in northwest Mi- director Alfredo “Freddy” died at the scene, police said. to the perpetrators. Justice away from them. If their talk-
As many as 25 people went needs to be swift & severe!” ing point is that guns are for
to various hospitals for treat- DeSantis tweeted. protection, or that guns are
ment. No arrests were im- for hunting, just know that
mediately announced. Democratic state Sen. Shevr- that terminology is differ-
in Jones said he wants DeSan- ent in certain communities,”
“This is a despicable act of tis to do more than just pray. Jones said. “Some of these
gun violence, a cowardly He’s calling on the governor individuals are using guns to
act,” Ramirez told the Miami to sit down with Democrats murder. Some of these in-
Herald. to discuss meaningful ways dividuals are using guns to
“This type of gun violence of addressing gun violence. hunt people.”
has to stop. Every weekend Businessman and TV person-
it’s the same thing,” Ramirez “Thoughts and prayers have ality Marcus Lemonis, star of
said during an early morning been going on for years and “The Profit,” took to Twitter
news conference.Republican thoughts and prayers haven’t to offer a $100,000 reward to
Gov. Ron DeSantis com- done a damn thing inside the help authorities capture the
mented on the shooting on Black community — or any suspects.