This newspaper has never forgotten the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre — and its fight continues

TULSA, Okla. — Jim Goodwin ran his thumb over the screen of his iPhone, reading a rough draft of a newspaper editorial.

In 300 words, the author recounted one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history and offered a stark suggestion to Tulsa officials as the 100th anniversary of the massacre approaches: Don’t get so caught up in meeting the centenary deadline that you botch plans for a museum that at long last will properly address the atrocity.

Goodwin — the publisher of the Oklahoma Eagle, the city’s black-owned weekly newspaper — nodded as he read the draft.

“I wish we had used ‘Shame on Tulsa’ somewhere in the piece,” said Goodwin, 80. “But this is good.”

Every Thursday for decades — through editorials, news stories and photos — the Eagle has forced the city to confront its violent past.

Here in Tulsa, the echoes of Jim Crow continue to haunt, and in some ways shape, the city. For Goodwin and many other African Americans who grew up here, the reminders are everywhere.

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