Race Massacre Hits Home Run In New Selection
It has been clear the plans to place the history center known as Greenwood Rising next to the Greenwood Cultural Center was not going to happen over unworkable lease arrangements. As the plans withered on the table there was reason to believe there would not be time to select a suitable place before looming deadlines. However, in a place where too often plans fall short, the centennial commission hit one out of the park in announcing a new location for Greenwood Rising. For one it will stay in Greenwood and it will sit on the most famous intersection in Tulsa history; the gateway to Black Wall Street: Greenwood and Archer.
Now this move to relocate the history center did not happen in a vacuum, it was the work of visionaries and immense generosity. Specifically, it was the generosity of the Hille Foundation and 21 North Greenwood, LLC who were already working on the southeast corner of Greenwood and Archer. No other way to say this other than to say they donated the land they were already in the early stages of developing for another commercial project. They have been a benevolent and generous partner. Maggie Hille-Yar has been a diligent and earnest member of the Race Massacre Steering Commission and she has demonstrated what it means to understand what this moment in history truly means. We hope she and her foundation are remembered for their kind gift and their on-going good works in Tulsa.
Chairman Kevin Matthews and Project Director Phil Armstrong have performed the heavy lifting throughout this project along with the cream of Greenwood in seeing this project move forward in a positive way.
The crown jewel of this noble effort to create a place of healing and reconciliation through a look back in history has been set in place. Greenwood Rising will welcome the world to this forgotten district where hope refused to leave no matter the challenge. The faces of those heroes will have an appropriate place to be displayed and the victims remembered for the harshest treatment meted out.
Racial Numbers: Do They Add Up?
The devastating effects of Covid 19 virus has been hard on every American. The rich, the poor, the famous, the old and young. Early data shows people of color are suffering in huge numbers. There is also a reluctance to release racial data in many states. There are outliers or unusual numbers like those in Oklahoma that show people of color becoming infected in numbers below proportional levels. All numbers are suspect because of intense pressure to open government back up for business. What is the truth? Are numbers hidden or distorted for political reasons or are reporting processes ineffectual?
Oklahoma despite some alarming numbers and death rates is primed to start opening in phases. It is true the state is laboring under the crushing weight of a shuttered in status. Few dollars are coming into state coffers because of unusual tax arrangements. This doesn’t fairly tax its largest industry (oil and gas) but it also cuts taxes to the rich. The result has put the state in a perpetual deficit. Governor Stitt, backed by state Indian fighters, has gone after gaming tribes to fill the gap. The pressure to open back up is white hot and it’s an election year. Republicans cannot be blamed for the virus. However, since they oversee every phase of government, they can rightly be judged for their management of the pandemic. The state wisely ordered much of the state to shutter in and closed many businesses. Despite those decisions, Oklahoma, like other states, was hit hard by the virus. It has hit several nursing homes and it is responsible for many infection and deaths. Despite all that Stitt is calling for a gradual opening of the state. Many believe it is too early. And there is vocal well-armed proponents demanding the state open sooner. Experts are saying the premature opening is only going raise infections across the state. It seems commerce rather than science is dictating state decisions now.
State figures on racial infections are way off national figures. White Oklahomans make up 74 percent of the population and data released the second week in April showed they made up 79 percent of the infections. African Americans make up 8 percent of the population and early data shows 7.5 percent of them were among those reported infected. Native Americans make up 9 percent of the population and were reported 5 percent of the infections. In a confusing press release the state health department reported 19 to 22 percent of hospitals did not provide information. It did not explain why there were two figures for non-reporting. The state report also failed to reveal which hospitals did not report. The racial break down is not in keeping with national statistics.
Nationally, the evidence is clear; African Americans are suffering in great disproportionate numbers from Covid 19. Many states are collecting racial breakdowns but for reasons of their own, Oklahoma is releasing incomplete data. Some states are not reporting racial data at all and many of those states are in the south. In Georgia, the state is blaming doctors for not providing complete data.
Medical experts are starting to suspect the absence of data on race is because it would show an embarrassingly high number of infections of people of color in their states. It would reveal the citizens of color in their state live harsh lives and are suffering. The next question would be why, and the next question after that is why isn’t anything being done about it?
Distorting the numbers is also at play. In Oklahoma, if it can be believed, 7.5 percent of reported deaths did not list race and 14 percent did not list ethnicity. Accordingly, the national death rate from Covid 19 is 25.5 per 100,000. However, in New York state, the African American death rate is 138.9 per 100,000 residents. In Michigan it is 86.5 per 100.000. Either Oklahoma can’t add or the magical properties of living in Oklahoma protects African Americans from becoming infected.
The truth has probably more to do with reopening the state desperate for commerce and the reckless belief that despite no vaccine a gradual return to normal will bring down rates. That is a recipe for disaster played with the lives of people in color in real numbers.
