The 1921 Tulsa Race Riot is one of the worst incidents of racial violence in American history. At the time, the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was one of the most affluent African American communities in the country. African American-owned businesses thrived, leading Booker T. Washington to refer to the neighborhood as the black “Wall Street.” Despite this success, the Greenwood District existed within the confines of a segregated Tulsa, and black citizens were rarely treated equally outside of their community.

In May 1921, a store clerk falsely accused black teen Dick Rowland of assaulting Sarah Page, a young white woman. In the early morning hours of June 1, 1921, rioters entered Greenwood, looting and burning the district and attacking the residents. The riot lasted only eighteen hours, but the damage was catastrophic. Rioters destroyed thirty-five city blocks in Greenwood, including businesses, homes, churches, and more. Hospitals treated over 800 people for injuries; in 2001 the Tulsa Race Riot Commission released an updated report estimating that 300 people died during the violence.

George Monroe, a boy of five whose family home was destroyed, collected these charred pennies from the street following the riot. They serve as physical reminders that episodes of unspeakable violence marred the path to equality in the United States. They are touchstones for creating conversations about race, history, reconciliation and repair for communities across the nation.

The pennies pictured above are now in the collection of theSmithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visitors to the museum can view these objects in the “Power of Place” exhibition.

Credits and Sources:

2012.96.1-.5 - "Riot pennies" charred during the 1921 Tulsa race riot, 1909-1921. Manufactured by: United States Mint. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Scott Ellsworth.

2011.175.10 - Scene from Tulsa Race Riot June 1st 1921, 1921. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

2011.175.12 - Ruins of the Tulsa Race Riot 6-1-21, 1921. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“1921 Tulsa Race Riot - Tulsa Historical Society & Museum.” Tulsa Historical Society Museum 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Comments. Accessed December 31, 2015. http://tulsahistory.org/learn/online-exhibits/the-tulsa-race-riot/.

“Tulsa Race Riot: A Report by the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921.” February 28, 2001.  http://www.okhistory.org/research/forms/freport.pdf

“Tulsa Race Riot: Greenwood Cultural Center.” Accessed December 31, 2015. http://www.greenwoodculturalcenter.com/tulsa-race-riot.