Tulsa Race Massacre - The Powder Keg | 2

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 5 June 2019

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As Dick Rowland sat in a jail cell at the Tulsa courthouse on Tuesday, the news of his arrest and rumors about his alleged rape of Sarah Page flew through town. Egged on by an inflammatory op-ed in the Tulsa Tribune, a white mob bent on a lynching began assembling outside the courthouse. By that evening, the crowd of hundreds had swelled to thousands. Meanwhile in the office of the Tulsa Star newspaper, Greenwood’s most prominent citizens debated the proper course of action. Some young veterans of the recent world war were determined to defend Rowland, with their lives if necessary, while older, cooler heads urged caution and restraint.

Both sides would gather at the courthouse Tuesday night, armed with their fists, guns and moonshine. Anything — or anyone — could set them off.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, prime members, you can listen to American History Tellers add free on Amazon Music,
0:05.6	download the app today.
0:09.0	Imagine its early evening on Tuesday, May 31, 1921.
0:23.3	It's hot here on the top floor of the Tulsa County Courthouse, but the metal bars of Dick
0:27.4	Rollins jailed out door a cool in your hands as you swing it shut.
0:31.3	You pull a heavy key ring from your pocket, flip through it and finding the right key, lock
0:35.4	the teenager in the cell.
0:37.7	Something in his terrified eyes gets to you.
0:39.7	You okay?
0:40.7	You didn't eat.
0:42.7	I guess.
0:44.5	I didn't do anything, Sheriff.
0:46.9	When can I get out of here?
0:48.5	I don't know, boy.
0:50.0	You just hang on tight tonight.
0:51.4	No telling what will happen in court, but you're safe up here that you would be out there.
0:56.1	As you turn to leave, you nod at one of the young guards position your buy.
1:00.4	You step into the creaky elevator and head down to your office.
1:03.9	Your head is pounding and the muscles in your neck are so tight they feel like they could
1:07.6	snap.
1:08.6	You rub your temples hoping to relieve the tension.
1:11.6	The elevator rumbles down slowly, but you hear someone yelling before the door is even open.
	...

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