Marketplace All-in-One Can reparations shrink the Black wealth gap in Tulsa?
Jun 12, 2025
Mitchell Hartman, a reporter specializing in economic issues, discusses Tulsa's groundbreaking $105 million reparations package aimed at addressing the historical injustices of the 1921 race massacre. He delves into the tragic legacy of Greenwood, once thriving as Black Wall Street, and how the massacre's aftermath still impacts Black Tulsans today. The conversation also touches on the broader implications for reparations in other cities, the significance of affordable housing, and the ongoing struggle to bridge the Black wealth gap.
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Greenwood's Tragic History
- Greenwood was known as America's Black Wall Street before it was destroyed in 1921.
- A mural pointing to mass graves highlighted the deep human loss in the Tulsa Race Massacre.
Highways Hurt Black Communities
- Urban highways often destroyed Black neighborhoods, displacing families.
- These projects worsened segregation and wealth gaps in cities like Tulsa and beyond.
Tulsa's Reparations Package
- Tulsa's $105M reparations package is symbolic and unprecedented locally.
- It funds housing, preservation, scholarships, small business help, and victim identification.