Tulsa Race Massacre Anniversary Shines Light On Entrenched Health Divide
The Wall Street Journal reports on data that show more deaths from heart and lung disease, diabetes and cancer as well as lower life expectancies for Black people living in North Tulsa, the neighborhood attacked and burnt down in 1921 by a white mob. President Joe Biden spoke at the site to commemorate the anniversary and pledge efforts to address the health and wealth gaps with deep roots on that day.
The Wall Street Journal:
A Century After The Tulsa Massacre, Inequities In Medical Infrastructure Drive Health Gap
One hundred years ago, a line of Black doctors’ offices in the Greenwood neighborhood were burned down during the Tulsa Race Massacre. After a brief recovery, the Black community’s medical infrastructure entered a long decline. It has never recovered. The health divide between North Tulsa, the area within the city where Black residents make up around one-third of the community, and almost anywhere else in Tulsa is large. Disparities are often greatest when compared with South Tulsa, the area where roughly 70% of residents are white and 10% are Black. (Ramachandran, 5/29)
CBS News:
Biden Speaks To "Fill The Silence" About Tulsa Race Massacre
President Biden on Tuesday commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, becoming the first president to honor the victims in Tulsa of the two-day rampage by a White mob. "For much too long, the history of what took place here was told in silence, cloaked in darkness," Mr. Biden told the audience in his speech. "But just because history is silent, it doesn't mean that it did not take place. And while darkness can hide much, it erases nothing. It erases nothing. Some injustices are so heinous, so horrific, so grievous, they can't be buried, no matter how hard people try." (Watson, 6/1)
The Wall Street Journal:
Biden Meets With Tulsa Massacre Survivors, Discusses Racial Wealth Gap
President Biden detailed what he said was the lasting impact of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre on Black Americans and laid out steps his administration will take aimed at narrowing the racial wealth gap, after meeting Tuesday with survivors of the tragedy. The president made the remarks at the Greenwood Cultural Center, located in the business district once known as Black Wall Street, where 100 years ago white mobs killed as many as 300 Black residents and destroyed the district’s roughly 35 city blocks. He is the first president to travel to Tulsa to commemorate the massacre. Mr. Biden issued a “Day of Remembrance” proclamation on Monday, committing to honor the legacy of the Greenwood community. (Parti, 6/1)
Politico:
Biden In Tulsa: ‘Great Nations … Come To Terms With Their Dark Sides’
The administration on Tuesday announced new measures to address the wealth gap between Black and white Americans, with plans to expand home ownership and small-business ownership in communities of color and disadvantaged communities. The White House said the administration would also address racial discrimination in the housing market, where Black-owned homes are appraised less than comparable homes owned by white people. It will also issue new federal rules to combat housing discrimination. (Ward, 6/1)
