Washington, DC— In honor of the official commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, People For the American Way President Ben Jealous released the following statement:

“The Tulsa Race Massacre killed hundreds, although the true toll has been lost to history. It had the support of members of the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department and the Oklahoma National Guard, and the wealth generated by Black Wall Street was wiped away for generations. Today, police still kill Black people with impunity while white supremacists, incited by a sitting president, can attack the U.S. Capitol and there is no bipartisan call to discover the truth or for accountability. For most of the last century, the history of the Tulsa Massacre was covered up. Even today we are still learning the full scope of the horror. When we whitewash our history, we cannot learn from it. Our democracy requires us as a nation to confront the reality of racist policing, the theft of intergenerational wealth, and a renewed effort to bury the history of systemic racism in this country. Only when we take an honest look at our history can we build an even better future for America, across cultures and across generations.”

About People For the American Way

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: https://www.pfaw.org.