Tulsa honors Greenwood 105th anniversary

Tulsa marked the 105th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre with a weekend of remembrance events in the Greenwood District and a city-recognized observance day on June 1. Greenwood Rising held a candlelight vigil on May 31, and the Black Wall Street Legacy Festival scheduled memorial programming alongside concerts and a community market. Mayor Monroe Nichols has tied this year’s anniversary to the city’s broader “Road to Repair” plan, including a target to secure most of the funding or commitments for a $105 million Greenwood Trust by June 1, 2026. The events unfolded as Tulsa continued public discussions over reparative investment, preservation and the future of historic Greenwood. ### What did Tulsa do for the 105th anniversary? Greenwood Rising scheduled a Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Candlelight Vigil for 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, at its history center in Greenwood. The organization described the event as an evening of reflection, remembrance and unity to honor those killed in 1921 and to acknowledge the massacre’s lasting impact. The Black Wall Street Legacy Festival listed May 30-31 programming in Tulsa that included “a ceremony to memorialize and honor the lives of victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.” The festival also paired the commemoration with an open-air market and a May 30 headline performance by Fantasia. (greenwoodrising.org) The City of Tulsa said June 1 is an annual Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day first announced in March 2025. (greenwoodrising.org) In a May 29 notice, the city said the day is intended for residents, schools, businesses and community organizations to take part in observances, activities and discussions that honor those who lost their lives. (blackwallstreetlegacyfest.com) ### How is Mayor Monroe Nichols linking the anniversary to policy? Nichols announced the “Road to Repair” on June 1, 2025, as a city framework to address what Tulsa describes as the systemic impacts of the 1921 massacre. The city says the plan was shaped in part by community input and recommendations concerning survivors, descendants, Greenwood and North Tulsa. The Greenwood Trust is the most concrete funding target attached to that plan. (cityoftulsa.org) The city says the private charitable trust is meant to encourage economic growth and development in North Tulsa, the historic Greenwood District and surrounding neighborhoods, with a focus on disparities experienced by massacre survivors, descendants, residents and businesses. (cityoftulsa.org) The trust’s stated goal is $105 million in assets, with most of the funding secured or committed by June 1, 2026, the 105th anniversary of the massacre. The city says the money is divided across a $24 million housing fund, a $60 million cultural preservation fund and a $21 million legacy fund that can support land acquisition, development, scholarships and small-business or organizational grants. (cityoftulsa.org) ### What role did Greenwood organizations play? Greenwood Rising served as one of the main public-facing organizers of anniversary programming. Its calendar paired the May 31 vigil with a June 1 “Resilience Leadership Luncheon” featuring retired Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré at Vista at 21 on North Greenwood Avenue. The Black Wall Street Legacy Festival framed its 2026 events as both commemoration and community gathering. (cityoftulsa.org) Its website said the festival was hosted by survivors and descendants of the massacre and led by organizations based in the affected community. ### What does the city say comes after the anniversary? Alaina C. Beverly was appointed executive director of the Greenwood Trust in October 2025, giving the trust a named leader as fundraising and program planning continue. (greenwoodrising.org) The city said at the time that the first operational year would be used to stand up initial programs and staff. Greenwood Rising has already posted the next public events on its calendar. (blackwallstreetlegacyfest.com) The organization lists a June 18 Books for Thought program with journalist and author Carmen Fields at Greenwood Rising, followed by a fifth-anniversary celebration gala on August 8 at the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Tulsa. (greenwoodrising.org) (cityoftulsa.org)