Activists Move To Change Name Of 1921 Race 'Riot' To 'Massacre'

A group working to bring awareness to the 1921 Race Riots in Tulsa is officially changing its name.

As we get closer to the centennial of the race riots the 1921 Race Riot Commission is replacing "Riot" with 'Massacre'.

They say it is a better way to describe what happened almost 100 years ago. In October students from Thoreau Academy toured John Hope Reconciliation Park as part of a specific curriculum aimed at highlighting the 1921 Tulsa Race Riots.

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The title of the course “Riot or Massacre”. Many students we spoke with felt the latter better described what happened.

"Oklahoma tried to cover it up so everyone should know this is not right and they need to stand for it to make sure it gets changed,” said Serenity Smith of Thoreau Academy.

So as of Thursday, the 1921 Race Riot Centennial Commission will do just that officially replacing 'riot' with 'massacre'

"The late Dr. Olivia Hooker, who just recently passed, referred to this event as a massacre so it is imperative we refer to this event as what the survivors refer to this event as," said Project Manager Jamaal Dyer.

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The will also release a new logo on Thursday with a line through 'riot' and the word 'massacre' in Red.

"Riot puts the blame on the Greenwood residents so if we were going to say there was a riot we could say whites rioted greenwood," said Dyer. "It sparks a conversation as to why is this change coming and what brought it about "

And that change seems to be happening with the younger generations of Tulsans.

"We can take so much in and learn so much and we are now growing up and going to be the new age so it is good to learn about this stuff," said student Frances Armah.

"It is imperative that we teach our children and our children are able to teach even their parents and grandparents the importance of changing the trajectory of the language," said Dyer.

The official announcement of this change will come during a press conference on Thursday.