- [Announcer] The distribution of "Greenwood: An American Dream Destroyed" on Ideastream Public Media is provided by KeyBank.

- Hello.

My name is Tony Sias and I serve as President and CEO of the historic Karamu House, America's oldest Black producing theater.

In June 2020, we presented our very first virtual theater performance.

Now while I hope to see you again in our theater this fall, I invite you to watch the virtual theater presentation and world premiere of "Greenwood: An American Dream Destroyed."

Written by award winning playwright, Celeste Bedford Walker.

This program is being presented in partnership with Ideastream public media.

Funding for the stage production was provided by Bank of America.

This play commemorates the 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa race massacre.

You're about to come face to face with one family's story during one of the most overlooked moments in American history.

From Karamu House to your house, I now introduce you to the Boley family of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

(playful music) - Once upon a time in America, at the turn of the 20th century after slavery, Negroes acquired a strip of land on the northern banks of the Arkansas river in the Indian Nation of Oklahoma.

We took an unwanted section of town filled with old warehouses near the railroad track just north of downtown Tulsa and transformed it into a thriving community called Greenwood.

I call it paradise.

Some of us happened to settle in oil rich lands and became incredibly wealthy.

So wealthy in fact that we soon aroused the jealousy of our white neighbors.

But that is another part of our story.

Another play.

As president of Greenwood's Women's Auxiliary, I have invited a New York photographer, a Mr. Lawrence Pritchard, to come to-- - "Come to Greenwood, Mr. Pritchard and record our meteoric success for all the world to see the enchanted place our race has created with our drive, our industry, our vision."

Greenwood Avenue, Memorial Day and the red, white and blue is flying every way.

Greenwood is everything I heard it would be, all 36 blocks of it.

Today in 1921 it nearly rivals white Tulsa.

They have created their own American dream here, I see.

They have their own school system, bus lines, private airplanes, theaters, hotels, groceries, doctors with ambulance services, funeral homes, hospitals, lawyers, professionals of all kinds live here.

Yeah.

They have elegant homes.

Frank Boley, a real estate magnet and his socialite wife, Molly, have an impressive residence on North Detroit.

One of the most exclusive blocks in Greenwood.

Yes, Greenwood's reputation has attracted Negroes from all four corners of the United States.

- We tried so hard to show ourselves approved.

So on that Memorial Day evening in Mother Boley's eating establishment, we had no way of knowing that the trouble that Jimmie Jones encountered would be the beginning of the end of Greenwood.

And in a mere 12 hours, our dream, your dream, the American dream would be completely destroyed.

Why?

- As a journalist, I am here to discover and record how and why Greenwood came to that tragic moment.

♪ Oh Champs-Elysées ♪ ♪ At the Champs-Elysées ♪ ♪ In the morning ♪ ♪ In the rain ♪ ♪ At noon or at midnight ♪ There is everything you need at the Champs-Elysées.

Bonjour grand mama.

- Good morning Solene.

You did say good morning, didn't you?

And what's that song you're singing?

- It's a French song I learned in Paris.

You should see Paris, grandmother.

- Baby, I'm just glad to see you back home safe and sound.

It was starting to look like you weren't ever gonna come back.

- Grandmother, you know what I think?

- What do you think, baby?

- I think you should bring Mother Boley's eating establishment into the 20th century.

Yes, you should put a few small tables and chairs outside and create a whole little French section like in Montmartre.

- Like where?

- Montmartre.

It's where I stayed, the colored section of Paris.

And instead of pancakes, you could serve Crepes Suzette for breakfast.

- Serve Suze-who for what?

- Crepes Suzette.

Pancakes the French style with strawberries and you could serve croque monsieur.

- What are you talking about?

- Eggs, cheese, ham.

- Oh, ham, that reminds me.

Bill?

- [Bill] Yes.

- You better send a plate of meats over to old lady Johnson and chop it up for her real good too.

You know her teeth are-- - Already got it ready.

- And better fix up a plate for the Millers too.

I hear they both doing kind of poorly.

- Mama you give away more food than we sell.

- Well, I'm not gonna let nobody go hungry around here.

- And Crepes Suzette for everybody, Maria.

(speaks in foreign language).

Everything you want at the Champs-Elysées.

- Hey, I remember that song.

- Yeah, they sang that in Paris all the time, Solene.

Soldiers had their victory march down that street, Champs-Elysées.

Well, the white soldiers did.

- Yeah, colored soldiers lost their lives over there just like the whites but the army wouldn't let us be a part of the victory march.

- They let the African soldiers take part though but not us colored soldiers.

I was done with the American army then.

- Uncle Bill, how could you return to the United States after Paris?

If I were you, I would have never come back.

I would have stayed in Paris for ever.

- Well, I liked France.

True enough, they treated us soldiers real good but I was homesick.

I wanted to come back home and see my family.

Some of the soldiers stayed over there though.

I still got friends there.

One of these days I plan to visit them.

- How do you think I would look with my hair bobbed, grandmother, like this?

- Oh, I don't think your folks would like it.

- Mother and father have to realize I'm a grown woman now.

I'm 19 for goodness sakes.

They can't run me all my life.

They think just because they buy me all these material possessions, they can tell me what to do.

Even who to marry.

- Now baby, they just want you to have everything they didn't have coming up.

Just like me.

I want the best things for my children having come out of slavery myself.

- Oh grandmother, why must we talk of slavery?

It's been 50 years.

- Thank God no auction block for my boys.

And I'm just saying I want the best things for my children.

- But I want more than things.

I want the world.

I wish I was back in Paris again.

And since I've come back from Paris, I know I can have it too.

I met Negro people from everywhere.

Africa, Harlem, the Caribbean.

Look at all these new books I'm reading.

Gertrude Stein, "Paris is not so much what Paris gives you as what it doesn't take away."

And that's what I loved about it.

It didn't take away my womanhood just because I was a Negro girl.

All kinds of fellows gave me the wink.

Italians, Senegalese, Frenchmen.

- Solene!

- But grandmother, I never felt so ladylike as when I was in Paris.

Here in the US all you hear is white womanhood this, white womanhood that.

But there, I felt my womanhood.

- Now hear.

Now, what kind of way is that to be talking for a girl who's about to be married?

Womanhood, hmm.

Come here Solene.

Now sit down, baby.

Now you just carrying on and slanging around all those big words.

You know you got to slow down for grandmother.

You know I'm from Greenwood, Mississippi.

And don't you forget where you come from either.

Now I'm real glad you went to Paris and all but just calm yourself down.

Now, come on talk to grandmother.

Now what is it?

Come on.

I can tell something's bothering you.

Is it Jimmie Jones?

Lord child, your momma thought that trip would take your mind off of him.

- I know.

- Well did it?

- Now child you got to get over that boy 'cause your momma is bound and determined for you to marry that potato farmer.

- His name is Leviticus.

Leviticus Solomon Esquire.

He's also an attorney.

- Mm-hmm.

Well, how'd you like touring Paris with Leviticus Solomon Esquire's family?

- His mother and sisters were nice.

Kind of boring, but I like them.

- Well it's a good thing too cause your mama wants you to marry into that family something fierce.

She ain't stopped talking about that wedding since you left (laughs).

You still planning to marry the boy, aren't you?

- Grandmother, I don't know.

I don't know anything anymore.

- Well you better try to find out cause he's on his way here right now with a train load of potatoes.

- I'm not talking about him.

I'm talking about...

When I was in Paris without mother breathing down my neck, I felt free for the first time in my life.

Free.

I'm ready to make my own decisions.

The suffragette women in Washington, DC are having a meeting and I can-- - What are you talking about?

- Women from Harlem, Africa, the Caribbean and around the world were in Paris for the International Council of Women of the Darker Races.

And they were talking about what the white women are doing here in America for their own self-determination.

- No, wait a minute.

Now if you saying all that to try to say you're not gonna marry this Leviticus boy, I don't wanna be nowhere around when you try to tell your mama that.

- I wish I was back in Paris again.

- Come Solene.

- Striding down Champs-Elysées.

- Let's check the items again and make sure everything's here.

- Past the Arc de Triomphe, inside the Louvre.

- Coco Chanel.

You got too the silks, the satin.

- I had splendid time.

- Splendid.

- Splendid.

- Solene, I am so happy that you enjoyed Paris.

You see how a change of venue makes all the difference in the world.

Now how did you enjoy traveling with the Solomon girls?

- Well actually I-- - Oh, wonderful.

You must marry up.

The single most important decision a woman can make in life is whom she decides to marry.

- I know mother but I-- - Do you agree with me, Mother Boley?

- Well, sometimes our children can marry folks we don't like at all at first but after a while they can grow on us.

- Exactly.

Now, your father and I have the real estate holdings and of course the oil money.

But what if the wells run dry or the price of crude drops?

Even we can't provide for you like Leviticus Solomon Esquire can.

A woman must always think of her future.

Leviticus is a country gentleman.

He owns the largest potato farm west of the Mississippi and thousands of acres of rich farmland that they rent out.

So their well will never run dry.

- But Jimmie has potential.

- Jimmie!

Don't you dare mention that boy's name in the same breath as Leviticus.

Potential?

(chuckles) A shoe shine boy for goodness sakes.

No child of mine will struggle with a bootblack no matter how much potential he has.

Why every time I see him he's surrounded by a bevy of girls?

I have worked too hard to be approved to let my own daughter slide backward.

No.

Now considering his less fortunate background, I admit, the boy is doing the best he can for himself but he is certainly not the best for you.

Forget about him Solene.

We have only three months left before this wedding.

Can you believe it?

Oh, plus Mr. Pritchard's visit is coming up and I'm in the middle of collecting all of our pictures and photos and so much work to do.

- Who is Mr.Pritchard?

- I must select the gowns that I'm gonna donate to the clinic auction.

Oh, how delightful.

Eau de Parfum number five by Chanel.

Oh, thank you dear.

I must tell you, Miss Chanel maintains two things, a woman must always carry an extra pair of gloves and she who wears no fragrance has no future.

- Mother, I must talk to you about my future.

- Yes, my Mrs. Leviticus Solomon Esquire.

- Mother, there is going to be a meeting in Washington, DC about the suffragettes pioneers and I-- - Dear, are you still talking about this women's rights nonsense?

Now I am as independent as the next woman but those white women have gone crazy and you are to be no part of all of that.

I've told you-- - Hi Solene.

- Hi Jimmie.

- Good morning.

- Good morning to you Jimmie Jones.

- We're not open yet, Mr. Jones.

- Yes ma'am I know.

I'm dropping off Mr. Frank's shoes and I need to put in an order for my Aunt Damie at the bakery.

- Well you tell Damie I'm making my famous Mississippi stew today.

That ought to give Jenkins Cafe a run for their money.

Last week they had lines clear round the block for that smothered steak and gravy they serve.

Well, let me go sit by my food.

Bill, son, how we fixed for tonight?

- [Bill] We'll be ready for it, mama.

Cooking up new barbecue sauce.

- Oh yeah, we gonna beat them Jenkins today for sure.

Tell Damie I say hello, Jimmie.

Jimmie!

- Yes ma'am.

Yes ma'am.

(phone ringing) - Boley's.

Oh.

The baker's on the phone about the wedding cake, Ms. Molly.

- Oh dear, I hope there's no problem.

Maria, will you take Mr. Jones's order so he can be on his way, please?

- Yes ma'am.

(Jones clears throat) - Well, I'd like a nice, sweet, beautiful, lovely pound cake with just a kiss of vanilla icing.

- Oh, anything else?

- Huh?

- Anything else?

- No, that's all I want in the whole world.

- Good morning, Jimmie.

Be with you in a minute son.

I'm running late.

I went by the house and hooligans hoodlums have thrown trash all over the lawn again.

I wanna talk to the neighbors about forming a neighborhood patrol.

- Hey y'all.

- Hey there Della.

- Hey Bill.

Is the Huntington order ready yet?

- Good and ready.

Where are you headed doll face?

Just dropped the girls up at the beauty shop.

Gotta run a few errands then go back and pick them up.

This smells good.

I can't wait to serve it.

You know them white girls love your barbecue.

- They really gon' like this.

Cooked up a new sauce: fresh-rubbed rosemary, garlic, basil, hint of mint and peach wine brandy.

Best on the avenue.

- Oh, and listen, be careful tonight.

I think some of those white hoodlums from Irving Heights are planning to cause some mischief over here.

You know, fire crackers, like they do on Halloween.

- Yeah, I'll be on the lookout.

Are we still on for tonight?

- You bet.

I can't wait for the fireworks.

- Me neither.

I'm gonna slay you tonight.

- You think so, huh?

- Yeah.

I've been practicing up on those dance steps you taught me.

- We'll see, big daddy.

Well hello there, Miss Solene.

Did you and your friends have a grand time in Paris, France?

- Oh, we had a ball listening to musicians all dressed in tuxedos.

It was all so modern, so strange, so wonderful.

Paris was like one long dream.

- And you got dazzled?

(both laughing) Well, you didn't have so much fun that you forgot all about your potato farmer now, did you?

- His name is Leviticus.

- What kind of name is that?

- And he's not just a potato farmer.

He happens to own the largest potato farm west of Mississippi.

- Oh well, he sounds like a real egg.

But tell me this, what do you and a potato farmer talk about?

- Yeah, what?

- Well, we talk about a lot of things.

We talk about potatoes, yes.

There are 1,001 uses for potatoes and-- - Solene dear, here is another telegram from Leviticus.

It says he'll be here soon and he bought a new horse.

- You opened my mail?

- Well I'm sorry dear.

I didn't think you would mind.

- Well, I do mind, mother.

I do.

- Oh, gotta get a wiggle on.

Can't wait to see what the girls did to their hair this time.

Ever since they joined that women's group, they are a law unto themselves.

- I'm on my way downtown to Gray What about you Bill?

- Nope.

Don't wanna be down there with all those crazy, patriotic white soldiers with guns.

- I figure I got just as much right to be downtown as they do.

I've risked my life for this country just like they did.

- See you later.

- Thank you for helping with the packages, Horace.

- Yes ma'am.

Good day.

- Good day.

- How's business, Jim?

- Not bad.

Not bad, sir.

Business doubled since I started working downtown.

I'm making good money.

I'm even thinking about hiring my own shoe shine boy on the side to help me out.

- Very enterprising.

- I admire enterprise myself Mr. Jones.

Leviticus, Solene's fiance, is quite an enterprising young man himself.

- Yes ma'am.

- Now remember what I told you about running your own business Jim.

- Take lemons and make lemonade.

See, I got all the angles.

I know all the answers.

Just ask me.

- So now you're gonna open a lemonade stand Mr. Jones?

- Jim's crew is the lemon, sugar plump.

- Yes ma'am cause since we can't do business with white folks in Tulsa.

- We're gonna keep on creating our own Negro wall street lemonade right here.

Our own money stays right here circulating in all communities for-- - For, count them, one, two, three, whole years.

- One, two, three, whole years before a single solid 10 dollar leaves Greenwood.

- Yes sir.

And if I keep working hard, one of these days I'm gonna have me a house on North Detroit in Standpipe Hill just like you and Dr. Jackson.

- Now that's how I like to hear a young men talk.

- Maria.

- [Maria] Yes, ma'am.

- Be sure to keep all the designer empty boxes handy please.

I want Mr. Pritchard to get pictures of them.

- Yes, ma'am.

- Who is Mr. Pritchard?

- She got it yesterday and they still don't know who purchased off their shipment.

- No kidding.

- Oh Frank, how you do exaggerate.

She didn't buy that much actually.

I'm just looking for room to store things here before we can move back into our home.

But soon, Solene will be gone back to Paris on her honeymoon.

- Then she can let our young man pay for that trip this time.

- Well, he can afford it.

He's extremely wealthy.

Oh and Solene, just wait until you see Mount Zion.

They spent 3,000 dollars on renovations.

3,000 dollars.

Oh, we must tell Mr. Pritchard about that.

- Who is Mr. Pritchard?

- I'm sorry I didn't tell you dear.

His name is Mr. Lawrence Pritchard.

He is a photographer from New York city.

The Women's Auxiliary of Greenwood has invited him here to document our progress.

- Progress?

Greenwood?

- Yes.

Greenwood, Solene.

And just because I let you go to Paris without me don't think that you are too good for Greenwood.

- Yes, Lord.

We sure have come a long way but we must never forget from whence we come.

Well, I remember when me and Master Boley first come here.

Walked all the way from - We better give her a start.

- Greenwood Mississippi Maria!

to Tulsa, Oklahoma.

- Yes ma'am.

- Will you please make sure that the restaurant is open for the breakfast crowd while I'm gone?

- Yes.

- Thank you, Solene, we got a lot to do.

- Yes, mother.

- How's that, Mr. Frank?

- Not bad.

Not bad.

Shoes make the man.

Keep change.

- Oh, thank you, sir.

- Jimmie you'd make a killing in Paris.

- No kidding.

Well, I better take off.

- You have to work on Memorial Day?

- Well Ms. Solene, some of us working men know how to seize an opportunity on a holiday.

My boss wants me to draw in some of that parade traffic downtown.

I'm one of his best workers.

Everybody wants me to shine their shoes cause I know how to make that rag scene and do my routine.

Diamond Dick, that's my new name.

Diamond Dick, that's my game.

Changed my name from Jimmie Jones, about my game I'll make no bones.

Shine your shoes, take away your blues.

Expert on leather.

Make them ready for the weather.

- Boy you go ahead on, boy.

- Bet your potato farmer can't do like that.

(gentle music) (train hooting) - Solene, Solene.

I missed you so much.

- Oh, Jimmie darling I missed you too.

- You sure you missed me?

Seems like you had a real good time in Paris dancing cheek to cheek.

- Oh, Jimmie, of course I missed you.

(hand smacking) - Damn, love.

What was that for?

- I heard about the good time you had while I was away.

- I don't care what you heard.

None of those girls can hold a candle to you.

None of them.

- What about the Williams girl.

- Solene.

- Everybody says that you and she-- - Solene sweetheart, don't believe nothing those girls say.

But they just crowd around me because I play football.

That's all.

But they don't really care nothing about me.

None of them.

Not like you do.

Well, you really care about me and what I think and what I feel.

You remember the last time we met before you left, what we said to each other?

That we weren't going to let anybody separate us.

It was you and me - It was you and me - against the world.

- against the world.

- Yes, you and me.

You still going to run away with me to California?

- Jimmie I don't know.

- Don't say no Solene.

I love you Solene and I can't stand (train hoots) that you're making plans to marry another man.

If you don't marry me I don't know what I'm going to do.

No kidding.

I'm leaving town.

- With whom?

- What you mean with who?

With you.

- Oh.

Sometimes Jimmie, I don't know if I'm really ready to settle down with anybody.

I've been reading books, lots of books about women's suffrage and I think that may be the answer for the plight of the colored race to rise up.

- Oh, I see.

You've been hanging around miss Della and those white women she work with too much, huh?

- Well, nevertheless, I'm going to a meeting in Washington, DC and when I get back, well, I don't know.

I don't know what I want to do.

Besides, what do you care?

I heard you took the Williams girl to the club on Cherry Hill.

- Come on.

Cut it out.

Stop being so jealous.

You were in Paris dancing and drinking with men in tuxedos and here I was, shining shoes.

That's all.

Making money for me and you to go to California.

And okay, maybe I danced with her a little bit and she danced back.

And okay, maybe I went to a movie with a couple of girls just to take my mind off you.

But that's all it was to it.

- Jimmie, how could you?

I bet you kissed all of them too.

I'm sure you kissed the Williams girl because she... You're just a smooth talker, Jimmie Jones.

Calling yourself Dick Roland or Diamond Dick or whatever you call yourself.

My mother was right.

- No, she's not.

Your momma's dead wrong about me.

She's behind all of this, can't you see?

She sent you away because she thought I'm not good enough for you.

But one of these days, I'm going to prove myself to her.

- She just wants what's best for me.

You should be able to understand that.

- I do understand it.

You think I don't want the best for you too?

She thinks I can't take care of you but I learned a lot from your daddy.

I know a wife's got to be taken care of.

But your mama she lives the-- - That's enough!

- That is enough!

Don't you dare talk about my mother like that.

She cares about everybody.

- Don't care nothing about me.

- She just wants what's best for everybody.

And if you're going to talk about her like that we can go our separate ways once and for all.

- All right then go.

Go on.

I'm not kidding.

Go on.

Go your separate way to your potato farmer.

I need to get out of Greenwood anyway.

Go.

(train hooting) I don't need you.

I don't need nobody.

Whenever I try to I...

But when I don't, I just... Don't know if I should... Oh but every time I try...

Sometimes I feel like I just wanna...

But I got my pride.

I got my pride.

- I didn't miss the picture, did I?

- No, doll face.

You're on time.

- Today of all days when, you know, Mrs. Huntington had me do everything under the sun.

I got all dolled up for the picture.

How do I look?

- Well put together.

All her muscle and bone stay on point, that is.

Like a fine round roast, speaking as a butcher, that is.

- Bill, you slay me.

You hear that Solene?

Your uncle just called me a roast.

- Oh, uncle Bill.

- Well, what are we waiting on?

Where the picture man at?

- I heard they're at the Stratford at that fundraiser for the clinic.

They ought to be home soon.

- I wish they'd get here.

I got to get home.

- Solene, you still moping over Jimmie, ain't you?

All week he's been running around with that Williams girl trying to make you jealous.

But remember what I told you?

The best way to get over one man is to get yourself another one.

Or a brand new hairdo.

You look real keen with your hair bobbed like mine.

It's all the rage.

- Oh, her folks wouldn't like it.

- Uncle Bill, I'm tired of everybody telling me what to do.

I bob my hair if I want to bob my hair.

And I'll smoke cigarettes too.

- At it, girl.

A girl's got to stay in step with the times, I always say.

This is a new day for women.

Have some fun.

Come on, stop being such a wet blanket.

Get up, come on and cut a rug.

(upbeat lively music) ♪ In the morning in the evening ain't we got fun?

♪ ♪ Every morning every evening we sure got fun ♪ ♪ The rent's unpaid dear we haven't a bus ♪ ♪ But smiles were made dear for people like us ♪ ♪ In the winter in the summer we sure got fun ♪ ♪ Times are bum and getting bummer still we got fun ♪ Come on, Bill.

This is Memorial Day.

Let's have some fireworks around here.

(upbeat lively music) Come on now, big daddy.

(upbeat lively music) - I told you I'd surprise you, didn't I?

I've been practicing.

- All right, now.

(upbeat lively music) ♪ There's nothing surer ♪ ♪ The rich get rich and the poor get children ♪ ♪ In the meantime in between time aint we got fun?

♪ All right, Maria, your turn.

Come on.

- This ain't no funeral.

- Now just show me that fancy Spanish dancing.

- No.

Supposing Ms. Molly walked in, Della.

No.

- I told you, you don't have to do everything mother tells you to do.

- Well, that's easy for you to say.

She is your mother and I do not want her to catch me acting without decorum.

Now, you know how important decorum is for your mother.

- Oh I bet Ms. Molly is cutting a rug right now at that fancy dance party.

Come on, Maria, dance.

- Dance!

(group cheering) ♪ In the morning in the evening ain't we got fun?

♪ Go ahead now child.

Dance your dance.

Even King David himself danced before the Lord.

Go ahead.

- Maybe another time Mother Boley.

(fireworks exploding) - Hold the fire!

- No, it's nothing Bill.

It's nothing.

- Son.

- Everything is all right.

- He's all right.

- It's nothing.

- You all right man?

- I thought I heard...

I thought I heard... - Firecrackers, man.

- It's memorial Day, remember?

- Firecrackers.

- As I was saying, they just list a white boy around here not too long ago.

- Are you talking about that Baden boy?

- Yes mama, right there.

- Sure did.

And the police didn't do nothing about it either because he was a murderer.

Killed a taxi cab driver.

Well, thank God that as bad as it's gotten, there's never been a lynching of a Negro in Tulsa.

- Yeah.

We've come close.

We almost had one around here about two years ago, Pritchard but we banded together.

Businessmen, laborers, war vets, editors, we stood against it.

And Dr. Bridgewater went down to the courthouse with arm colored men and stopped it.

- Are you ready for the pictures yet?

- No.

I like to absorb the flavor and atmosphere of the environment before I begin my work.

- Oh, a true artist.

Good.

Oh, Solene, we need to add a little something to this outfit for the picture.

Just give us a moment, Mr. Pritchard.

Come dear, and cheer up.

- Well, maybe now would be a good time for me to talk to your brother Bill, the vet.

- Yeah, he's around here somewhere.

I'll go get him.

Bill.

Bill.

- I think he's outside with Della bringing in the flag and watching the fireworks.

- That's all right.

I'll go out and talk to him and get some pictures.

- Good evening, Bill.

- Evening.

Not supposed to let flag fly at dusk, you know.

Unless you got a special light on.

- They're really putting on a fireworks show tonight.

- Yeah, lighting up the night sky.

- Like a sunrise from hell.

- Huh?

- 1000 white hot bombs lit up the sky.

Rik 75 roaring, busting my eardrums.

50 Germans run at us shooting.

We fired back.

They're on us now.

It's hand to hand.

Fists these gun butt and bayonets.

Bayonet tears into my side.

I fall but keep tossing grenades.

Kraut turns, grabs his bayonet.

Big legs and chest.

Swing my blade.

His head falls at my feet.

Man about to back down.

Like mad men throwing grenades and swinging knives.

(Bill grunts) Where is the Germans.

Keep coming.

Keep coming.

Damn it.

Being back, I aint human no more.

We're killing machines.

Either kill or be killed.

Bodies everywhere.

We fought like hell.

(fireworks cracking) We got back to the States.

We're different.

You know, we got letters of commendation for being killing machines.

For a long while I couldn't even bring myself to wring a chicken's neck.

- You all right Boley?

- Sure.

He's all right.

- Yeah.

Sometimes my hearing ain't as good as it used to be.

I'm Bill, the butcher.

That's me.

I love and appreciate fine meats and my burning desire in life is to get the people the best cuts.

My brother Frank he went to the university.

That's a fine thing for him.

But I learned.

What I learned, a chopping block.

- Come on, Bill, let's go inside.

Let's take this picture and then you and I can go to Dreamland and dance the mad way.

Okay?

- Okay.

Yeah.

- Well, here we are again.

Twirl, Solene.

Are you ready for us yet?

- Not quite.

So you're one of the veterans too Mr... - Taylor.

Horace Taylor.

They call me Peg Leg now.

Yep.

And I'm a vet and damn proud now of it.

Begging your pardon, ladies.

I did my duty as a man and went to war.

Come back home thinking we was going to get treated better.

Looks like things got worse.

- Yes, I've noticed in my travels a certain undercurrent of anger and violence directed at the colored soldier.

There've been reports of soldiers being lynched and burned alive.

- You're from where?

- Harlem.

- Harlem.

Harlem hell fighters.

That James Reese Europe, (cheers) and that drum major noble Sissile, man.

When we come back home from overseas opportune march straight to Harlem with the hellfighters.

It was a million colored folks and white folks out there waving flags and cheering us on.

Man, it was something.

And then we come back home and they'd have a big parade following us down Greenwood Avenue.

Oh man.

Yeah.

I can stand to have a parade every day.

But now the war's over.

Well, I better be getting home.

Ms. Molly.

- Yes.

- I want to get started first thing in the morning but I need to buy some more sheetrock and I need, well, you know.

- Of course, Horace.

Frank.

- Thought we agreed on a budget, Molly.

- I know.

I know we did.

Horace here and his sons have been doing the renovations on our home, Boley manor.

- Is that right?

- Uh-huh.

Before I went to war, pretty much all the homes you see around here I helped put them up.

- Meet you at the house in the morning, Peg.

- Good deal.

And good night.

- You've been to Dreamland yet, Pritchard?

- Mr. Pritchard?

- Not yet.

- I didn't see you in church Sunday, Della.

- No ma'am.

Went to service with the white folks.

Dull as ditchwater but I like Reverend Colonel.

- [Pritchard] So I take it you don't live in Greenwood, Della.

- No.

I live in with a white family in Urban Heights.

Mr. And Mrs. Huntington.

They are swimming in money, oil, house look like a castle.

City even put their home on a postcard.

- Postcard?

I think maybe our home should be on a postcard Frank.

- Yeah, I live in T-Town, Mr.

Photograph man.

Tulsa, the magic city, the whitest town in Oklahoma, they call it, and they are proud of it.

But life was real good for colored folks here in Greenwood and fun.

Which is why I come over every off day and to see my Bill (laughs).

Excuse me.

That was not very lady-like.

I've been working for them for about five years but I hear they're training colored girls to work the elevator now and I'm thinking about learning how to do that.

But then again, I don't know.

I'd missed the high life with the Huntingtons.

They just bought a new car and I think they are thinking of giving me their old one then I could ditch this tin Lizzie I'm driving.

- Good evening.

- Oh, good evening Dr. Jackson.

- Sorry I'm late.

- He's a world renowned Dr. A.C. Jackson.

- He's a renowned surgeon, dear.

Dr. Jackson, this is our photographer, Lawrence Pritchard.

- Pleased to meet you.

- Pleased to meet you.

- My pleasure.

- My pleasure.

Well, Molly, am I on time for that grand picture you've been talking about?

- Right on time.

- Missed you at the party.

- I was making a delivery.

- And you met the Mayo brothers, I take it?

- Oh, yes.

And quite impressed by them too.

- And you're from?

- Guthrie, Tennessee.

My father was a law officer.

Watching him, I learned early on that I could be part of the hurt or the heal.

I attended Maharat College and trained to be a surgeon.

I helped out during the influenza epidemic in Memphis then came to Greenwood.

I had heard so many wonderful things about it and they're all true.

I'm working to make sure we have our own health system here.

- Yeah, cause they won't let colored in the white hospital in Tulsa.

- That's right.

So living here keeps me busy but I travel a lot also.

Which is why I hope we finish the picture soon because I have a conference to go to in Chicago.

- Oh, doc, you off again?

- Yes, ma'am.

To the American Medical College Association.

I'm learning more and more about less and less as I become a specialist.

- Oh, I chased down that chain of title on the property I mentioned to you.

I have some papers that are available for you to look over.

- Excellent.

Excellent.

You're working hard, Frank.

I appreciate that.

- All right, everybody.

I think I'm beginning to get a sense of the montage I want to create.

If everybody would please stand up.

Now, kind of press in.

- I understand that you will go around the country doing pieces on black towns, Mr. Pritchard.

- That's right, sir.

- Admirable.

What made you decide to do so?

- Well, there are 58 independent black boom towns.

- Really?

58.

My, my, my.

- And each with a story to tell.

With the new Negro movement in Harlem, our culture is becoming the popular thing and I want to be at the forefront of telling and photographing our stories.

And sometimes I fear I'd better be quick about it.

Because I find in my travels, as soon as the Negro community starts to thrive, white mobs riot and destroy them.

Chicago, Illinois, Washington, DC Knoxville, Tennessee, Omaha, Nebraska.

Oh, and they claim some Negro man has done this or that to white womanhood but I find that it's always about greed and the land.

Now, if you will just stand here.

Oh, and I must warn you I'm obsessive about my work.

So you have to bear with me sometimes.

- Where are you going after you leave here?

- I'm off to interview the Gordon's family in a little community have heard of down in Florida.

Rosewood.

All right everybody, gather in a little tighter.

Tighter.

Alright.

Now everybody take a deep breath, smile, hold.

One, two, three.

- Jimmie.

- Jim.

- Solene.

Solene.

- What is it, son.

- What's the matter, Jimmie.

- I think I'm in trouble.

- What kind of trouble?

- Big trouble with the law.

- What did you do?

- Nothing.

I didn't do nothing.

I swear I didn't do nothing.

- Tell us, man what happened.

- [All] What happened Jimmie?

- They're saying that I... - That you what?

- Put my hands on a white woman.

(Solene gasps) - Jimmie Jones, what are you talking about?

- But I didn't do nothing.

I swear I didn't do nothing.

Nothing.

She didn't bring the thing even with the floor - Bring what thing even with the floor?

Boy, calm down.

Tell us what happened and start from the beginning.

- I was downtown at my shoe shine stand.

I had to use the washroom.

So I went in adjacent building to the top floor like I always do.

It's the only wash room on main street colors can use.

We all use it.

I have permission to use it.

- Oh, Jimmie what happened?

- Let me tell you.

I'm trying to tell you so you'll understand.

See, I just stepped on the elevator to go to the top floor like I always do and Sarah-- - Sarah?

What did that white girl do?

That girl is a liar and a trap.

She's not even as old as I am and she's been divorced twice with two kids.

- She was operating it like she always do but she's still in training you know.

And sometimes she don't bring the thing even with the floor.

- Here we go again.

Bring what thing even with the floor?

- The elevator.

The elevator.

So when I went to step on I tripped because the floor wasn't even.

And I reached out, you know, to keep from falling.

Oh I must've grabbed a hold of her arm or something.

- Oh, man.

- I know, I know.

She started screaming and screaming.

She started beating me with her purse.

She got crazy.

Then this crazy white clerk come running out of Renbergs yelling that I was assaulting her.

- Assaulting her?

Why you would never.

- Never.

And all I could think of doing was to start running.

But I didn't do nothing to her.

Nothing.

- We know you didn't do anything but what did she tell them?

- Well, she tried to tell them but they wouldn't give her a chance.

They just chased me out of the building hollering that I was assaulting her and...

I just can't win.

Just when I'm thinking I'm getting ahead in life I-- - The best thing for you to do right now is to get off the streets in case they're on a hunt for you.

- Yeah, child, run on home.

We'll pray this will all blow over.

- No.

I'm getting out of town.

I'm going to California.

Solene I just stopped by because I want to tell you I'm sorry about everything and-- - I'm sorry too.

It was all my fault.

I'm leaving with you.

- Solene are you sure?

- What are you saying?

- Yes I'm sure.

I need to get out of Greenwood anyways.

Mother, Jimmie and I-- - We're running away and getting married.

- What?

Are you out of your mind?

Leviticus is on his way.

Frank do something.

- Now wait a minute.

Wait a minute you two.

Jim what's the meaning of this?

Solene and me, we love each other, Mr. Frank and we want to get married.

- Oh, this is ridiculous.

- Molly.

You two just calm down.

Everything's probably going to be all right.

Anyway, what about Leviticus?

You're already engaged to Leviticus.

And you, you going home, young man.

We'll see what happens in the morning.

- Leviticus!

- [All] Leviticus!

- Well, good evening, everyone.

- Jimmie, tomorrow under the Tresor.

- You better find your own girl.

- Fly boy.

- Solene, can we please talk alone?

- Yes.

Maybe you can talk some sense into her.

I'll have Maria bring refreshments.

- Solene, I don't understand.

You planning to elope with another man?

You and I are engaged.

What happened?

- When I took your engagement ring I was angry with Jimmie.

That boy makes me so mad sometimes.

But now he's in trouble and I can't just abandon him.

And I can't marry you either.

- Solene.

Solene please don't cry.

You know, I can't stand to see you crying.

You know how I feel about you.

Like you don't have to hide anything from me.

You can tell me everything.

- Well, I'm glad to hear you say that, Leviticus because sometimes I don't know what I want to do.

Mother wants me to get married but I want to fight for women's rights.

But how can I do that when my people don't even have their rights?

- I see.

I see.

I understand.

We can work something out now.

- No I don't want that.

- I know, I know, I know.

You don't think you love me.

But love will come.

I planned a wonderful life for us.

I don't want to give up on those plans now.

This man is on the run, Solene.

I don't know what he's done, I don't know what kind of future he has, yet you want to throw your life away on him.

But this if is who you think you really want, if you think that he can love you more than I do, if you think that he can do more for you than I can then-- - Leviticus I'm sorry I've hurt you.

I really do care about you.

And I hate to see you leave like this but this is-- - Oh no, I'm not leaving.

I'm not going to give you up that easy.

I'll be in town for the next few days.

But till the then, let's just do what your father says.

Let's see what tomorrow brings.

I'll be flying out to see farmland and the Cimarron in the morning and-- - Flying?

- Yeah.

- In an airplane?

- Yeah.

- Mother thought you bought a new horse but you have an airplane.

- Just bought it.

150 horsepower.

- Never been in an airplane before.

It must be frightening.

- Heavenly (indistinct) Soaring so free like a bird.

Come with me tomorrow and see.

- But I told Jimmie that I would meet-- - Let him wait.

He ain't too smart, is he?

I mean, how did he manage to find himself at such tack in fangs with a white girl?

- It was a public elevator.

- Alone?

Don't get mad.

Please don't get mad.

We all make mistakes.

In the morning?

- Well, I-- At least, please, do that for me.

- Okay but-- - Good.

I'll see you in the morning, buttercup.

- Hello.

Hi there, Damie.

Yeah, the police came by here last night pounding on the door.

Well, we told them we didn't know nothing about nothing and so they left.

Are you saying they never come round to your house, huh?

Well, I reckon that means everything got blown over.

Lord, I can hardly hear myself think.

I don't know why she got to play that thing so loud.

Huh?

No, Jimmie didn't come by here this morning.

- Why must Mother Boley talk so loudly on the telephone.

We have a perfectly good connection.

I can hardly hear Caruso.

- But those two detectives, you know, Carlmichael, the white one, and the colored one Henry Pack, they come around asking questions about Jimmie but they was real low key about it.

So I really think everything going to be all right.

Don't forget now, we got practice down at the church tonight so we can be ready for the big patriotic program on Sunday.

All right I'll see you then.

Bye.

- Lord - Ms. Molly have you decided which pictures you want to include?

- Well, I definitely don't want that picture you took of the Jones boy.

Now please don't waste my film on him.

Now these, we may keep and these.

You're doing quite a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of Greenwood, Mr. Pritchard.

- Thank you.

- And look, it's our wedding album.

Oh, and there is Mr. Boley, Frank's father.

Such a dear man.

He died in the Spanish flu epidemic.

And this, this is an early photograph of me and my family.

My mother and father and brothers and sisters.

Obviously taken before the Indian enactment.

We were quite poor then.

- I'd like to get pictures of them.

Are they in Greenwood?

- No, no, they're dead.

All dead.

Oh, look, it's Solene.

Such a little bundle of love.

She was always a handful though with a mind of her own behind that lovely countenance.

Anyway, these pictures are so very precious.

They're the only ones that I have.

So you must promise to be very, very careful.

- Yes, I promise.

- Well, how much money did you give him this time?

- He's drilling a horizontal wheel just south of the city.

- Oh.

Frank, we've got the wedding coming up and renovations on the house and we can't afford to throw money away on some duster that isn't even gonna-- - I have the first mortgage on his house.

- Oh, well, in that case.

- That doesn't mean for you to go shopping now.

Where's Solene?

- Well, she's out with Leviticus.

For the life of me, I don't know why you don't like Leviticus.

- I like him.

I just don't see why Solene should have to marry him or anybody else if she's not ready.

Why can't she just continue to stay here with us?

- We won't be around to protect her forever.

She's about to be a very, very wealthy young lady and the right husband to keep the vultures away like you did for me.

- There was not a vulture.

- Oh, surely you don't want her to marry him.

- Of course not.

And I recognize this little puppy love going on.

And I think if you stop caring also about it it would die off of it's own accord.

I think boy may be in some kind of trouble.

- Hey, have y'all heard?

- Heard what?

- Heard what?

- Jimmie Jones was just arrested on Greenwood Avenue.

- Oh, Lord, no.

And they was just in here this morning.

Said all they want to do was ask him some questions.

- Yeah, what did they arrest him for?

Jimmie said the girl didn't want to press charges.

- All I know is they hauled him off in handcuffs.

Looked like he was on his way to the depot.

When they got him, he had a suitcase with him.

- Oh and I just got off the phone with Damie telling her everything was going to be all right.

- You should attain a lawyer for him as soon as you can.

- Well, he shines a lot of white lawyers' shoes.

He sure will get one of them.

- B.C Franklin.

B.C.

Franklin.

That's who he needs.

B.C.

Franklin, best colored lawyer in Tulsa.

- Here's the headline in The Tribute: "Nabbed Negro for attacking girl in elevator.

"A Negro delivery boy who gave his name to police "as Diamond Dick was arrested "on South Greenwood Avenue this morning "by officer Carlmichael and Pack."

- They got it in the newspaper already.

- "Charged with attempt to assault "the 17-year old white girl at the Drexel Building "early yesterday.

"Diamond Dick will be tried in municipal court "under the state charge.

"She says, she first noticed the Negro "looking up and down third floor in the hallway "of the Drexel Building as if to see if anyone was in sight.

"When Diamond Dick--" - Why does he keep calling him that?

- Because that's a silly name he gave himself.

- "Entered the elevator, she claimed, attacked her, "scratching her hands, face and tearing her clothes."

- Oh, he done no such a thing.

- Of course not.

Just another sensationalist newspaper trying to stir up these white folks.

- That ain't hard to do.

They believe whatever these white newspapers tell them to believe.

White people live in their own little white world.

They don't know nothing about us Negroes and don't want to know.

- Stirring up a hornet's nest.

- Oh, they jealousy all over here all right.

I hear them talking at their swanky dinner parties about you niggas with money.

- I beg your pardon.

- That's what they call y'all over here.

In little Africa, they call it.

Right while I'm serving dinner to them.

They act like I don't exist.

I act like I don't exist either.

Just keep on ladling the soup.

But one thing I know, white folks got their eyes on Greenwood.

- Well, I got to call Damie.

She got to do something about this.

- This new sheriff, McCullough, I think he's a pretty good man.

Says here he's not going to let the same thing happen to Diamond Dick that happened to that white boy Belch.

"Not on my watch," he says.

I think we should just go on about our day.

Want to talk to some of the other business men and see what they think.

- I've got something I want to ask you tonight.

- What is it?

- Well tonight, sweetheart.

Tonight.

- I promised your mother I'll go to Bible study with her.

- That won't last long.

- Tonight then.

- Copacetic.

- Mother!

Father!

- - What is it, Solene?

- What is it?

- And where have you been miss Solene?

I thought you were out with Leviticus.

And where are you going with that suitcase?

I was supposed to meet Jimmie but look.

It's Jimmie.

They have Jimmie here in the newspaper.

- Yes, we know.

We've already read that.

We're going to have to wait out.

- They're going to lynch him tonight.

- No Solene they've only taken the boy to jail.

- Yeah, that's all.

- No father, they're going to lynch him.

It's right here.

Look.

- Oh my God it's on the editorial page Frank.

- I didn't see that.

- "To Lynch the Negro tonight."

"There's likely to be a lynching in Tulsa tonight.

"Whites assembling to Lynch Negro tonight."

- Oh Lord.

That's what they always do.

They write up the lynching in the newspaper the day before so whole town can come see like it's sport.

I remember like it was yesterday.

It was a quiet, peaceful Sunday afternoon.

All the good Christian White folks were sitting around the dinner table after church when all of a sudden out on the town square everybody was milling around buzzing with excitement.

Town photograph man showed up.

He always took pictures of all the big events, you know.

So he was setting up his equipment to take pictures and make postcards out of them.

Sell those postcards to white folks up North for a pretty penny.

Automobiles, buggies wagons from everywhere showed up on the square.

White folks come from 50 miles around to see this.

Because they had done caught a young colored boy running for his life trying to get out of town.

Cause they said he had done raped a white woman.

Well, they caught him fully made it out.

They stripped him naked, tied his hands behind his back, tied his feet together.

They kicked and pounded him with whatever they could find trying to make him beg for their mercy.

But he wouldn't beg.

Well, that riled them up even more.

They was wild with hate.

They throw the rope around him and hoisted the poor boy up a tree.

They jeered and cursed and shouted up at him, "Beg, negro."

He never said a word.

Now all the while the hanging was going on, there was a man starting a bonfire.

Let his little boy help him.

Little boy was so proud helping out his pop.

And most times in the Lynch, they let the body hang from the tree for days before cutting it down to put the fear in the color.

But this mob right here was in such a search for blood that they cut the body down right there on the spot.

When it hit the ground they set on it like dogs with the rabies.

They cut off his fingers, they cut off his toes, his ears.

They unsexed him.

They cut out his heart and his liver.

They poured gasoline on the body and throw it on the fire.

Smoke went up to the high heavens and they let out a big ol' cheer.

All day long the mob hung around.

Men, women, children, watching his body burn and burn.

Laughing and joking, visiting with one another.

There was nothing left but ashes, bone bits and few teeth.

Them heathens was in ever so much reached into that smolder and fire to take those bone bits and teeth for souvenirs and strike poses for pictures in front of the fire.

Till finally, sun was going down.

It was wore out from all their violence.

And they went home to finish Sunday dinner.

With nothing left to do but tell his poor mama what had happened to her son.

Hello Damie.

It's me, Adame.

- 30 of us vets drove down to the courthouse armed.

Offer Sheriff McCullough our help.

He said he don't need it.

A thousand violent crackers milling around outside the courthouse shouting for Jimmie Jones' head and he said he don't need no help.

Now I'm going back down there now.

- Peg, Frank is on the phone with deputy Bonn and Cleveland right now.

He says that the sheriff said-- - I don't care what Sheriff McCullough say.

I was out there.

I saw the white mob.

- Hey, pipe down.

I got Bonn and Cleveland on the phone.

He said the sheriff is doing everything he can to keep Jimmie safe.

They have him on the top floor of the courthouse and they shut the elevators down so no one could come up.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

Okay.

Yeah Bonnie.

Good, good.

Bonnie says they have six deputies all around the boy.

- Already got to look out for his job, you know.

Being the only colored one up there.

- How does he say the young man's doing, Frank?

- How the hell you think he's doing doc?

He's scared shitless.

- Well, they say they're doing all they can to keep him safe.

- But that might not be enough.

- Might not be.

Just yesterday I read in the newspaper that six prisoners broke out of jail.

Just saw the bars right off the doors and went.

- That's what I'm saying.

If they can get out, that mob can get in.

- No.

No, they have men up on the roof with shotguns and rifles.

- Look, I been down there.

When the sheriff came outside trying to get them to go home, they just hooted him down.

- It's sunset.

They'll probably all be going home for dinner soon.

- They had dinner all right.

- Now let's just stay calm.

My girl and some of the other businessman went to have a meeting down at the Tulsa stock.

- A meeting?

That's all you business men want to do is have meetings and talk.

But we soldiers know what gotta be done.

Don't we, Bill?

- Maybe we ought to listen to Frank.

- Yes.

It's just innuendos and rumors floating around out there.

- I just think we need to discuss this situation in a unified way down at the courthouse.

- I told you I already went down there with a bunch of soldiers and they didn't want to hear no talk.

- Well, perhaps cooler heads prevail this time.

Now listen, I think what we need to do is-- - Bill listen, the African Blood Brotherhood, we got plans.

We got jitneys lined up to bring in ammunition.

They stocking up right now.

Up at Paradise Baptist Church.

Damn Bill.

Man, watch the cleave.

- What you jumping for, Peg?

You know, I got good hand-eye coordination.

- We need you, Bill.

- What was he doing associating with that old fake girl for anyway?

- What?

Come on, man that's just White folk talk.

You know that.

That boy got sense enough not to take that kind of chance with his life.

- I don't know how much sense he's got.

I've seen him operating out there on Cherry Hill road.

- So?

- So you're still looking for a fight, Peg?

I'm not.

I've been to war and back.

The war is over for me.

- Well, you do what you gotta do but me and other soldiers we not about to let them lynch that boy.

- Hey, hey.

Don't go off half car.

Just wait and see what the Sheriff's going to do.

- The time to do something about a lynching is before it happens not afterwards.

- Well, me and Della got big plans for tonight.

And right now I got beef to trim.

- Beef to trim?

I can't believe what I'm hearing.

I never thought I'd say this but you ain't scared, is you?

Like some of those soldiers we saw during the war shaking in their foxholes too scared to come to the aid of they own comrades?

- Get out my face, Peg.

- Or what?

What?

- I don't know what I'm going to do.

I'm not going outside to raise old glory again.

Shine a light on it.

- Frank - Son.

- We're off to church.

- Going to church, son.

- Oh and Mr. Pritchard, I'd like you to come along with us to get pictures of Mount Zion's impressive architecture.

And Frank, you must come to church this Sunday I'll be singing a solo.

- Molly, Pritchard is coming with us to a very important meeting down at the Tulsa Stock.

- Meeting at the Tulsa stock?

- Is it about Jimmie?

- Oh, Frank, please don't have him taken pictures of some rioters meeting.

We don't want the world to get the wrong impression of Greenwood.

No.

Mr. Pritchard, I think you should just stick to the agenda that I planned for-- - Molly.

- Oh, but Frank-- - Honey, you'll get a chance to take those pictures but right now we've got something very important going on.

- Well, honestly, I don't know what could be more important than your daughter's wedding.

I mean really?

- Molly, we have a young man in serious trouble here.

I don't want to hear anything else about that terrible wedding.

- Well, as you wish.

Come Solene.

- I just want to know if anybody's going to get Jimmie out of jail or just let them lynch him?

- We men are going to handle it Solene.

You just go to church.

- You reckon it's all right for us to go out, huh son?

Surely we'll be safe in church, huh?

- I think so.

All the trouble is downtown.

But don't go anywhere else.

Come straight back here.

(phone rings) - And I will see more.

Says three White men just broke into the courthouse demanded Jimmie be turned over to them.

- I told you.

- Oh Jesus - But the deputy is-- - Yeah, the deputy's still got him but it's just a matter of time.

- We have to figure out how we're going to respond to this.

- We got to be organized about this.

A direct confrontation can be disruptive for the whole community right now.

- Where are you going with that rifle?

- Where I should have went in the first place.

Downtown with the other soldiers.

- Now you talking, soldier.

Let's go.

- Bill, Bill.

We got to weigh pros and cons before you just go down there-- - Hey, hey.

This ain't no account ledger.

This is a boy's life.

- I know it.

I know it.

But you can get yourself killed.

Now we and other business men are going out there and get to talk to them.

- Frank, get out my way.

You can stay here and do nothing.

You can take up your weapon to come with me but don't you try to stop me.

- Son, you go down there towing that gun they'll shoot you down.

- Mum, I'll be fine.

I can take care of myself.

- But son, we've got to get ready for breakfast in the morning.

- Mama I'll be home in time for breakfast, okay?

Tell Della I may not see her tonight but I'll see her in the morning.

- Son.

God go with you.

- Mama, he's going to be all right.

I don't think you want and the ladies should go down to church after all this evening.

I need you to stay put right here.

- All right.

- Leviticus.

- Yeah, I'm coming.

- No.

I need you to stay here with the ladies.

Close up shop.

- Leviticus where are you going?

- They're going to need my help.

- This is not your fight.

I couldn't face your parents if anything happened to you.

- You aint got to worry about me, Ms. Boley.

I know how to protect myself.

We had a little trouble down in Arkansas with some of them White land owners.

- Leviticus I'm afraid.

- You ain't gotta be.

Just do what your father said and lock up.

Everything will be all right - I mean for you.

I'm afraid for you.

You don't have to do this because of me.

- I'm not doing this because of you.

I can not stand around and watch them lynch a Negro man.

Today is him, tomorrow is me.

Besides, would you even respect if I didn't try to get him?

No?

I ain't think so.

I wouldn't blame you.

- You sound like a fighting man.

- Yes ma'am I am.

I had a scuffle or two.

Man, had a little trouble down Arkansas.

- Well, here.

Take Mr. Boley's riffle.

It got me and him out a many tight spot.

It's locked and loaded.

- All right.

Thank you mother Boley.

- Leviticus be careful.

- That Jimmie Jones is going to be the death of us all.

- Well, come on.

We can practice our song here.

♪ We are soldiers in the army ♪ ♪ We got to fight although we have to cry ♪ ♪ We've got to hold it up ♪ ♪ The blood stained banner ♪ - It almost always begins with a white woman's scream, doesn't it?

The Collier Magazine says that there are good Negroes who are kind and courteous.

They say that they are helpful and that the Southerner has affection for them.

But there's a black man who is a beast, they say.

This is a physical fact, they say.

They say that black man is a bad man.

He drinks the cheapest and vilest whiskey, they say.

He breaks every law.

He is a dope fiend, they say.

He holds life lightly.

He is a bully and a brute, they say - This right here, the dividing line right here, the Frisco Tracks.

Whites on that side, colored on this side.

That's the way it's always been.

Outnumbered by the whites 10 to one.

But I got my 30-30 rifle and repeating shotgun.

I'm defending Greenwood midnight.

We've been out here on these tracks for hours holding off them invaders.

I figure I took down a dozen myself.

Darkness don't slow them down in other parts of Greenwood but it's been hot and heavy here along the Frisco Tracks.

And we not letting them cross no matter what.

Passenger train pulled into the depot, we just kept right on firing at them up under the train.

Raking both sides.

You could see the scared looks on the passenger's faces as they was ducking for cover on the floor.

They thought for sure they had pulled into a war zone.

Yeah.

That white mob came for dear old Greenwood but they got to go through Peg Leg first.

(gun bangs) - Well I'm all right, Mother Boley.

I've been hearing gunfire all night long.

I'm here with my neighbor, Danny Olyphant, a white man.

We going to wait it out together.

I understand what they're doing is they already out your house and if you don't come out, then they drive you out and they come in and take whatever they want and set the house on fire.

- Lord have mercy.

They saying the Johnson's was on their knees saying the prayers when the mob broke in.

And we heard that the KKK drag Jimmie out the jail but we ain't for sure.

Did you hear that, Dr. Jackson?

- No, no, I haven't heard anything.

- Lord.

There goes Billy Moeder in his wagon with his grandchildren.

Oh, carloads of folks leaving town.

Things getting really bad.

- Wait, wait.

I see a group of armed White men on my lawn right now.

They calling for me to come out.

Olyphant is standing outside talking with them telling them who I am, you know.

He's holding them a good bit with his talk.

They smiling now.

I think they might be moving on.

But no, they still want me to come out.

- No, doctor maybe it's best you stay in the house.

- I think I'll be all right, Mother Boley.

I don't think I'm in any danger.

But if you don't hear from me again, well, you know what happened.

Hello?

Hello?

- Dr. Jackson.

- Hello.

All right, fellows, I'm coming out with my hands up.

- Dr. Jackson.

- And Maria.

I don't know if she made it home or not.

- Oh, Lord.

I think something happened to Dr. Jackson.

- What?

Oh God, no.

Not Dr. Jackson.

(gun bangs) Oh, I wish Frank and Leviticus would come back inside.

- The doctor's line is dead.

- Oh dear Jesus.

- Get down Frank.

(gun bangs) (ladies screaming) - Frank.

- Leviticus.

Father!

- We're okay.

Carlo Hoom just came by firing shots.

- And we returned the curtesy.

- All the business men are up on the roof returning fire.

Well, the Williams even have one of his white workers on top of Dreamland with a rifle.

They're running the scrimmage line along Archer.

Need more gauges ammo.

Get this box open.

- But what about Bill?

Any word on Bill?

Where's Bill?

- He may be the soldier that sparked it off.

White mobsters came up to him and asked him, "Where are you going with that gun Negro?"

Bill said, "I'm using if I have to."

He's on the top of Mount Zion.

He's all right.

- Bill's on Mount Zion.

- Yeah, he and some of the other soldiers are protecting the homes on North Detroit.

He's got a good aerial view.

He's all right.

(Solene screams) - I just saw the national guard marching in.

- Oh, thank God.

- But I don't know whose side they're on.

- What do you mean?

They're supposed to be on our side.

- They're supposed to be defending us.

- Well, some of them are but some of them out there are nothing but a bunch of deputized KKK in army uniform.

So when one of them walks up to you, you don't know what you're getting.

I saw one of them help the man that escaped the mob of whites and I saw another one shoot a boy down.

On the commercial end, it's like war never ended.

Running gunfights, mobsters set fires to commercial property, fires everywhere, fire trucks turned away.

They're actually calling Greenwood the enemy.

- The enemy?

- [Solene] The enemy?

- How can they call Greenwood the enemy?

- We're American citizens.

American citizens.

- The rumor is out that Mount Zion is a fortress with 20 caskets full of rifles.

- What?

- Unbelievable, I know.

I'm going back out there.

Get more pictures.

Get the story.

- Yes.

Yes, get the story.

Tell the world.

Take pictures of everything they're doing to us.

Write it down.

And Mr. Pritchard, take this.

- Okay, young man the car will be here in a minute to drive you to the airfield.

I don't know what's going to happen to me.

I put my daughter in your hands.

That's my daughter.

My only child.

And I'm trusting you to take care of her and deliver her to your mom's house safely.

Beyond that, that's for you two to decide.

You just know this, if any harm comes my daughter by your hands, I'll kill you.

Godspeed.

- Oh, father.

- And if y'all don't get married you return her back here just like you found her.

- Yes ma'am.

- Mama, told you I wanted you to go with them.

- Oh no, son, I'll just slow them down.

- Molly, I insist that you go.

- Never.

Now, Solene this is all you need for your short trip.

We'll be along as soon as we can.

We love you.

And you remember what I taught you?

- Yes mother.

Always put my best foot forward and always carry an extra pair of gloves.

- Jim!

- Jimmie!

- Solene I had to see you one last time.

- Jimmie.

Oh Jimmie.

- Help get these chains off of you.

- How did you get away?

- The mob came from me but one of the deputies, I won't say who, helped me to the second floor.

Then I jumped out the window, hurt my ankle a little bit but I'm okay.

They're high on my trail though.

I got to get out of town.

Solene, I just had to see you.

- You're here.

You're alive.

- I'm running against the wind now, Solene.

All the plans we made, I can't take care of you and much less protect myself.

- Just stay here and hide out until everything blows over and we'll figure something out.

- No.

Don't worry about me.

I'll be all right.

I'm Diamond Dick, remember?

Your mother was right.

I'm bad news.

I'm full of trouble.

Nothing's going to change for me.

Ever since I been a boy, ever since I've been on the run from Vinita, Oklahoma, I've been on the run since.

You deserve a better man than me.

So you go on with him.

- What's your plan of escape.

- Why should I tell you?

- They're not letting trains in and they're letting freight trains go out.

My box cards they going to leave around noon.

Get on it if you don't mind hiding in a mountain of spuds.

It'll take you to Kansas.

- It's all right, Jimmie.

It's all right.

- Yeah.

Take this money you going to need it.

- All right, y'all come on take hands.

Lord we ask you to protect and keep us safe in Jesus name.

Amen.

- Take care, Jimmie.

- Jimmie.

- Goodbye, Solene.

- Jimmie.

(gun bangs) - Everybody get down.

(gun bangs) - Come on, get him.

- [Molly] Frank you all right?

- Martial law was declared at 11:59 a.m on June 1st, 1921.

Everywhere, the smell of blood.

Whites arm to the teeth, hanging out of motorcars firing at will.

Fires set, telephone and Telegraph lines cut so they could wipe out Greenwood without anybody knowing.

Everywhere they burned up everything block by block by block.

They blocked all the trains going into Tulsa.

All night long, shouts, gunfire, deathly screams and then, an eerie silence.

It was like Greenwood was holding its breath.

And that silence, Smitherman even managed to get out the newspaper.

The headlines read, "At 9:00 p.m the trouble started, "by 2:00 a.m, the thing was done."

We didn't know that it was the law before the storm.

- I walked on glass for Bill.

All night long I searched for him.

It was shattered glass everywhere.

A group of hooligans spotted me at one point and chased me.

I ran so hard I ran right out of my shoes and cut up my feet.

All through Greenwood I saw the mob back trucks up to colored folks' houses.

They took money off folks, took jewelry, anything they felt was valuable, they took.

I saw oil barrels with their hooting hyena wives running down the street with shopping bags, looting the homes of black doctors and lawyers, even taking Negro women's underwear and men's silk shirts.

And then all of a sudden everything got quiet.

We started to think maybe the danger was over.

Maybe White folks had got it out their system.

Maybe I could find my Bill and find out what he wanted to say to me.

- George Miller, white physician, he tried to help a wounded colored man bleeding on the street.

Miller tried to help but the crowd wouldn't let the ambulance pick him up.

Impossible situation.

Miller got in his car and just drove away.

- (speaking in foreign language) I wake up to the smell of smoke, grab Angelina, my baby, and run out of the burning house.

But there are fires everywhere.

Greenwood is burning.

I tried to run back to the Boleys.

I turned the corner and run right into a white mob.

- Maria.

Come with me, Maria.

- They chase me down an alley in the back of the Rialto theater.

I run inside.

It is so dark.

(speaks in foreign language) I jump onto the stage in front of black Victoria screen.

The blinking lights from the balcony, it's blinding me.

They see me.

They see me and yell, "There she is.

"Get that negro girl."

I see some steps where they play La Musica and I run down.

And I (screams) (gun bangs) No.

I don't know what happened to Angelina.

My baby.

Della?

- Maria come on.

- My baby.

Where is my baby?

- They are hiding women and children in the basement of Reverend Kirk's Church and the Holy Family Cathedral.

Maybe somebody took your baby there.

There were white folks who tried to help.

Tried to stop it.

But the bad element was just too wild for them.

The white mob went around to all the white folks they knew had live-in help and demand that they send them out.

When they came looking for me, the Huntington girls cursed them white boys out and even slapped a couple of them.

Like I say, them girls is the limit.

But also many mothers shot down while holding their babies.

Afterwards some of the white Christian women tried to come for the Negro babies.

But no one could come for them but their mothers and they were dead.

- A second in Cincinnati, major casualties and worried about Dick Rowland now.

Can't be concerned with him now.

They want Greenwood.

At least we got good aerial view from Standpipe Hill.

(bomb explodes) What's that?

Bombs?

They bombing us.

They're dropping bombs and dynamite on us?

American citizens?

We went to war against the Krauts, took bullets, lost limbs.

We come back home, they raining liquid fire down on us (bomb explodes) from our own planes.

(bomb explodes) - Bill!

- Dawn's early light.

Greenwood, oh Greenwood.

I prayed we'd live to see another sunrise.

- Yes, we made it through the long night with the help of the Lord.

- I think the riot has played itself out.

- Now, we'll see if we can get ahold of Dr. Jackson for you, Frank.

- I don't think it's too serious.

I mean, we took a couple of losses.

I think storm is over.

- Thank God.

Solene and Leviticus were even able to get word to us that they made it out safely.

- Nobody but Jesus.

- I hope that Mr. Pritchard fared well.

This is what he must write in his report.

Once upon a time in America, let it be known in the year 1921 there was a Negro paradise.

- Molly come away from that window.

Its not safe yet.

- A flowering Negro community in Tulsa, Tallahassee, Oklahoma called Greenwood.

Oh, look, it's the Kenny children.

They must've gotten separated from their family.

They shouldn't be outside.

It's not safe.

(whistle trilling) - And at 5:30 a.m, I heard that whistle blow.

It was a signal, I think.

- Children get out of the street.

Children.

- Molly you stay put I'll go get them.

Molly go back inside.

(bomb booms) (Molly screams) - Now they say there wasn't a whistle but I know what I heard.

I'll never forget it.

Suddenly, there was invasion of whites from everywhere.

Bombs from planes overhead raining down sticks of dynamite.

During the law, the enemy had organized during the night and was ready for a full-scale invasion.

White rage let loose.

An invasion.

I think that's what they planned all along, to invade Greenwood at daybreak.

The colored men put up a gallant fight, fought like tigers.

But they were out-gunned and out-numbered.

They swarmed in on Greenwood to feed and destroy like locusts.

In the aftermath of the disaster, all surviving Negroes were placed under arrest and ordered to march down the streets to the Convention Center with hands up.

Only white employers could sign them up for work.

And when they went out, they were required to wear green tags to be approved.

The dead were dumped unceremoniously into mass, unmarked graves.

No funeral.

Fortunately, I've obtained a copy of the total of the known dead and wounded from red cross records.

♪ They crucified my Lord ♪ ♪ And he never said a mumbling word ♪ - Dr. Jackson.

He found himself at the mercy of two young white thugs drunk with power.

Even though his white neighbor, Olyphant pleaded for his life, they shot him three times.

Olyphant took him to the white hospital in South Tulsa since they burned down the hospital in Greenwood.

But they wouldn't treat him.

Rejected by the white hospital, he bled to death on the floor of the Convention Center.

William Bill Boley, decorated soldier, dead.

Shot through the heart.

Molly Lita Boley, Frank Boley, Mother Boley, dead by fire bombing.

Della Green, Maria Bonilla, death by fire bomb.

Peg Leg disappeared to the annals of legends.

We've had the funeral for Greenwood's dead but Molly's dream for the living is still living on, a better American dream.

- Once upon a time, there was a place called Greenwood.

Don't let it be forgotten.

Greenwood.

Write our story, Mr. Pritchard.

Report the disaster, record the dead but show all the pretty pictures of the living in their finery, in their elegance, in their progress.

Strutting down their streets, laughing, loving, living in Greenwood.

The horrible night I saw Greenwood for the last time.

Flying in the airplane with Leviticus, I looked down from the skies and saw Greenwood burning.

The place that had nurtured me was no more.

I live in Paris now.

And as president of the International Council of Women, I travel the world speaking on the horrors of that night.

Seeking racial justice and reparations for all the businesses and lives that were destroyed.

To date, no reparations have been made, but still we rise.

I've come to lay flowers on their graves.

- I managed to escape the Klan which ought not to be customers in mind.

But they didn't have time to deal with me no more.

They wanted Greenwood.

I caught a train of curses but return to Greenwood to lay flowers on the graves of the people that took me in.

- [All] Greenwood, Greenwood, Greenwood, for ever.

♪ And he never said a mumbling word ♪ (gentle solemn music) - [Announcer] The distribution of "Greenwood: An American Dream Destroyed" on Ideastream Public Media is provided by KeyBank.