Greenwood Rising hosting candlelight vigil honoring Tulsa Race Massacre victims

Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center is inviting the community to a candlelight vigil Sunday night in remembrance of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

The ceremony marks the first time since 2021 that the history center has hosted a candlelight vigil to remember the Tulsa Race Massacre.

Honoring an Official Day of Remembrance

June 1 is now officially recognized by the city of Tulsa as a day of observance for the Tulsa Race Massacre.

The Greenwood Rising history center is commemorating the day with a brief, public vigil outside its building, weather permitting.

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Why the Vigil is Returning

When the center first opened, it held a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of the massacre. Raymond Doswell, executive director of Greenwood Rising, says community conversations helped inspire the return of the tradition.

“Having this opportunity to recognize this anniversary is an important milestone for the community,” Doswell said. “It’s important that the community remembers and reflects on this opportunity to learn from it and heal from it. And so we hope that our candlelight vigil will give folks an opportunity to do that.”

Educating the Next Generation

Doswell emphasizes the importance of ensuring that young people, especially, understand the truth about the city's past.

“It’s important that the people in the community, especially our young people, are aware of the truth about their history,” he said. “If we don’t have remembrances, then it becomes part of the dust pail of the past.”

Event Details

The candlelight vigil is free and open to the public. It will begin at 8 p.m. Sunday outside Greenwood Rising, located in the historic Greenwood District.

Organizers encourage attendees to gather and reflect as a community, honoring those lost and learning from the past.

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