The US president urged America to confront its dark past at the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre
Yesterday, President Joe Biden became the first president to visit Tulsa since the Race Massacre in 1921. He made an impassioned speech, saying that the country must confront its “dark history”.
“Now your story will be seen in full view,” he told the three survivors of the massacre in attendance at the event. Reports estimate that as many as 300 African Americans lost their lives at the 1921 massacre.
We can’t just choose to learn what we want to know — and not what we should know.
— President Biden (@POTUS) June 1, 2021
We memorialize what happened in Tulsa 100 years ago so it can’t be erased.
“Some injustices are so heinous, so horrific, so grievous, they cannot be buried – no matter how hard people try,” President Biden said. “Only with truth can come healing.”
“Hate became embedded systematically in our laws and culture,” he said, “a belief enforced by law, by badge, by hood and by noose.”
“It does still impact us today”
President Biden’s commemoration of the massacre comes amid a nation reckoning on racial justice in the US.
“In 2020 we faced a tireless assault on the right to vote. Restrictive laws, lawsuits, threats of intimidation, voter purges and more.” said the President.
“What happened in greenwood was an act of hate and domestic terrorism. With a through-line that exists today still.”
He referred what happened in Charlottesville 4 years ago, saying the event was a “stain on the soul of America”.
President Biden reminds the audience in Tulsa that the Tulsa race massacre took place 100 years ago in 1921, and yet it took 100 years for any American president to visit and acknowledge it. pic.twitter.com/Lr7i28yhN0
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) June 1, 2021
“Hate is never defeated, it only hides,” the President added.
Biden’s commitment to “protect Black lives”
This comes after president Biden met with the family of George Floyd in a demonstration of support for Black voters.
The events stood in stark contrast to former president Donald Trump‘s trip to Tulsa last June, which was met with protests.
