National Register Record for GREENWOOD HISTORIC DISTRICT

Historic Name: GREENWOOD HISTORIC DISTRICT
Current Name: None
Address: 100-300 BLOCKS N. GREENWOOD AVENUE AND 419 N. ELGIN AVENUE
City: TULSA            County: TULSA
Section: None           Township: None           Range: None          
Description of significance: THE GREENWOOD HISTORIC DISTRICT IS LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES UNDER CRITERIA A & C IN THE AREAS OF ETHNIC HERITAGE: BLACK, SOCIAL HISTORY, COMMUNITY PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT, AND ARCHITECTURE AT THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS OF SIGNIFICANCE. THE HISTORY OF THE GREENWOOD DISTRICT REFLECTS THE EARLY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES OF TULSA'S AFRICAN AMERICAN RESIDENTS TO CREATE A SELF-CONTAINED COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNITY IN THE FACE OF LOCAL DISCRIMINATION POLICIES AND STATE SEGREGATION LAWS. THE HORRENDOUS IMPACTS OF THE 1921 TULSA RACE MASSACRE DEVASTATED BOTH THE PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY. DESPITE CONTINUED RACIST ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL BARRIERS, THE GREENWOOD COMMUNITY REBUILT ITSELF. THE GREENWOOD HISTORIC DISTRICT CONVEYS A STRONG SENSE OF THE FABRIC OF THE ORIGINAL COMMUNITY AND ITS RESURGENCE AFTER THE MASSACRE REFLECTING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, PRIDE, AND SELF-SUFFICIENT CHARACTER OF THE LOCAL AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1905-1967. LISTED 9/26/2022

Type: None
Historic Function: None
Current Function: None
Area of Significance 1: ETHNIC HERITAGE: BLACK
Area of Significance 2: SOCIAL HISTORY
Architectural Style: None
Architect: LATIMER, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, ARCHITECT; LATIMER, JAYPHEE CLINTON, ARCHITECT
Year Built: None            Original Site: None
Condition: None
Restricted: None
Documentation Source: None
Date Prepared: MARCH 2022