Marketplace Morning Report How a highway in Tulsa displaced and dispossessed Black residents
May 20, 2025
The podcast dives into the harrowing history of Tulsa's Greenwood District, devastated by the 1921 race massacre. It explores the painful aftermath and how the construction of the I-244 highway further displaced Black residents and destroyed their hard-won prosperity. Insights from community members reveal the lasting trauma and struggle against systemic racial inequality. The discussion also touches on the broader implications of urban development on marginalized neighborhoods, highlighting the urgent need for reparative action.
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Tulsa's Racial Wealth Gap Roots
- The wealth gap between Black and white families in Tulsa is historically rooted and wider than the national average.
- Jim Crow violence, segregation, and urban development like highway building severely blocked Black economic growth.
Family Impact of Tulsa Race Massacre
- Ruth Boulware Harrison's family lost homes and businesses during the Tulsa Race Massacre and later highway construction.
- The highway construction led to business closures and displacement, turning the area into a desert economically.
Highways Disrupted Black Prosperity
- The destruction of Black prosperity in Tulsa continued with the I-244 highway cutting through Greenwood.
- This pattern of disrupting Black neighborhoods by infrastructure projects is common in many U.S. cities.