Black Wall Street and the Pattern of Destruction
Throughout American history, successful FBA communities faced systematic destruction whenever they achieved prosperity.
The Greenwood District — Tulsa, 1921
The Greenwood District housed over 300 Black-owned businesses and was considered the wealthiest Black community in America. It was destroyed by white mob violence with government support. Thirty-five city blocks were burned, approximately 300 people were killed, and over 10,000 were left homeless. No compensation was provided and insurance claims were denied.
The destruction of Black Wall Street was not an isolated incident but part of a documented pattern of destroying prosperous FBA communities whenever they achieved economic independence.
Rosewood and Beyond
Rosewood, Florida (1923) was a prosperous Black town with successful businesses and property owners. The entire community was destroyed by a white mob over false accusations. All Black residents were killed or driven away permanently, and property was never compensated.
Other examples include Seneca Village in New York — a thriving Black community destroyed for Central Park construction, and Brooklyn's Weeksville — a historic Black community disrupted by urban development. Dozens of successful Black farming communities were destroyed through violence and legal manipulation.
Urban Renewal as Continuation
The federal urban renewal program and interstate highway system provided legal mechanisms for continuing the destruction of prosperous FBA communities. Interstate highways were consistently routed through Black neighborhoods: I-95 through Miami's Overtown, I-75 through Detroit's Black Bottom, I-40 through Nashville's communities, I-10 through New Orleans' Tremé.
These projects destroyed thousands of Black-owned businesses, eliminated stable residential communities, and broke up social networks that had sustained generational progress.