Project Hope, Unity, and Compassion by Kristin Gentry
Artist Greg Stivers painting on the boards of Vintage Wine Bar, photo by Tyler Huffman
Tulsa, Oklahoma’s rich history includes the numerous overlapping stories of its citizens of color within the African American and Native American populations. Tragically, one of the most horrific historical events in the cities’ history was the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre in the Greenwood District; also known as Black Wall Street. The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre destroyed African-American homes and businesses, and the number of people murdered and injured is still unknown, one hundred years later in 2021. Even today, racial, cultural, and political turmoil have all persisted within the Tulsa area stemming
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not just from this incident alone, though the Tulsa Race Massacre is certainly one of the most significant. The revitalization of the downtown Tulsa Arts District and Greenwood District over the last 15-20 years have given new avenues to artists, businesses, and the community to create a way forward towards rebuilding and repair by coming together through the arts. The indigenous history of Tulsa is important beyond a simple land acknowledgement in understanding the specific area the art for Tulsa: Project Hope, Unity, and Compassion
was created within. The land that Tulsa was founded on was established by the Mvskoke (Muscogee/Creek) and Lochapoka tribes. The Greenwood District is well known for its roots in the African American communities, but it was also built together with the indigenous tribal communities. Many tribal citizens hold both indigenous and African American ancestry. The Muscogee Creek Nation’s website shows that “from 1836 to 1896, the [Mvskoke] Nation conducted business around the [Council Oak] tree, and had a significant influence on the surrounding area that would later be known as the City of Tulsa, deriving
