Rosewood was not an isolated event. Throughout history, racial attacks on Black communities have resulted in the destruction of thriving neighborhoods and the tragic loss of countless Black lives. In many cases, these communities could have been worth millions—or even billions—today. Yet, no meaningful compensation or recovery has ever been offered to most families of victims.

Introduction

The United States has a long, painful history of racial massacres. Far from isolated, these events were part of a broader pattern of systemic racism and violence. White mobs, often with the support or complicity of local governments and law enforcement, destroyed prosperous Black communities through massacres, riots, arson, and even military-style assaults.

These events not only caused immense human suffering but also deprived Black families of generational wealth, property, and stability. By examining the Tulsa Race Massacre, Slocum Massacre, Opelousas Massacre, Rosewood Massacre, Ocoee Massacre, Wilmington Coup, and MOVE Bombing, we gain insight into a history that must not be forgotten.

Tulsa Race Massacre

In 1921, Tulsa, Oklahoma was home to the prosperous Greenwood District, often referred to as “Black Wall Street.” The area had more than 600 Black-owned businesses, including theaters, restaurants, law offices, and a hospital.

On May 31 and June 1, 1921, a white mob descended upon Greenwood after a young Black man was falsely accused of assaulting a white woman. What followed was one of the deadliest racial massacres in U.S. history. Airplanes dropped incendiary devices, while mobs looted, burned, and killed indiscriminately.

Estimates suggest that between 50 and 300 Black residents were murdered, and more than 1,200 homes were destroyed. Thousands were left homeless overnight. Despite the immense destruction, survivors received no compensation, and insurance companies refused to pay claims for damages.

The Tulsa Race Massacre destroyed not only lives but also the foundation of generational wealth in the Black community. Today, calls for reparations remain unresolved.

Slocum Massacre

In July 1910, the rural community of Slocum, Texas became the site of a violent massacre. Tensions between Black and white residents had been rising, fueled by rumors and resentment over Black prosperity.

White mobs began roaming the area, shooting any Black person they encountered. Official reports minimized the death toll, but eyewitnesses claimed that as many as 200 Black people were killed. Survivors fled, abandoning their homes and land.

Like in Tulsa, no restitution was provided. Instead, the massacre erased a thriving Black presence from Slocum, stripping descendants of property and generational wealth.

Opelousas Massacre

The Opelousas Massacre of 1868 in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, was one of the bloodiest episodes of Reconstruction-era violence. After a Black newspaper editor published an article supporting Republican policies and Black voting rights, white mobs—many aligned with the Ku Klux Klan—reacted violently.

Over the course of several days, an estimated 200–300 Black residents were killed, making it one of the deadliest massacres in U.S. history. The massacre effectively silenced Black political participation in the region for generations.

This event underscored the violent backlash against Reconstruction and the lengths to which white supremacists would go to maintain racial hierarchies.

Rosewood Massacre

In January 1923, the small, predominantly Black town of Rosewood, Florida was obliterated after a white woman falsely accused a Black man of assault. A white mob quickly mobilized, burning homes, churches, and schools while killing residents.

Survivors fled into swamps, leaving behind their property. The death toll remains disputed, ranging from 6 to 150 Black residents. Rosewood was never rebuilt.

It took until 1994—over 70 years later—for the state of Florida to acknowledge the massacre and provide limited reparations to survivors and descendants. Rosewood remains a powerful symbol of both racial violence and the long-delayed struggle for justice.

Ocoee Massacre

The Ocoee Massacre occurred on November 2, 1920, in Ocoee, Florida. The violence erupted when Black residents attempted to exercise their right to vote during a heated presidential election. White mobs attacked the Black community, burning homes, churches, and schools.

Between 30 and 60 Black residents were killed, and the surviving families were forced to flee, abandoning their land. For decades, Ocoee remained an all-white town, effectively erasing its Black population.

The Ocoee Massacre highlights how systemic violence was used to suppress Black political participation and reinforce Jim Crow segregation.

Wilmington Coup

In 1898, Wilmington, North Carolina was a thriving city with a growing Black middle class and a multiracial government. That changed when white supremacists staged a violent coup—the only successful coup d’état in U.S. history.

A white mob murdered as many as 300 Black residents and overthrew the elected government, replacing it with white Democrats. They also burned down the office of a Black-owned newspaper.

The Wilmington Coup marked a turning point in the South, ushering in an era of Jim Crow laws that systematically disenfranchised Black Americans.

MOVE Bombing

The MOVE Bombing took place in Philadelphia on May 13, 1985. Police attempted to evict members of MOVE, a Black liberation and environmental group, from their rowhouse. After a standoff, police dropped a bomb from a helicopter, igniting a fire that destroyed 61 homes.
The bombing killed 11 people, including 5 children, and left more than 250 residents homeless. Shockingly, officials allowed the fire to burn instead of extinguishing it.
The MOVE Bombing stands as a modern example of how state violence has been deployed against Black communities. Despite lawsuits and investigations, full accountability has never been achieved.

Conclusion

From Tulsa to Rosewood, from Wilmington to Philadelphia, these events demonstrate a consistent historical pattern: violence was used to dismantle thriving Black communities, erase wealth, and enforce systemic inequality.
Acknowledging these histories is not only about remembering the past but also about addressing the present. The economic and social consequences of these massacres are still felt today, as descendants of survivors continue to struggle against inequities rooted in this history.