The Media and 20th Century Race Riots: Causes and Consequences

Race riots of the first half of the 20th century are characterized by white mob violence on African American neighborhoods. In 1921, whites in Tulsa, Oklahoma, invaded the prosperous Greenwood district known as “Black Wall Street,” burning it nearly to the ground and murdering an unknown number of its segregated citizens. In 1946, a similar confrontation, though on a smaller scale, took place in Columbia, Tennessee, with a very different outcome and consequences. 

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives: 

Students will analyze press coverage of each riot for bias and causation. Students will also compare photographs and accounts of riot consequences. Finally, students will compare public reaction and official response to riots.

Essential and guiding questions: 

What were the similarities and differences between the Tulsa Riot in 1921 and the Columbia Riot in 1946?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Applying
Extension suggestions: 

Compare press coverage of modern race riots (Watts Rebellion 1965, LA 1992) to the coverage of Tulsa and Columbia.
Write a blog or email to a government representative that explains how Columbia and Tulsa can help create historical context for modern movements highlighting violence against African Americans.

Helpful Hints

MATERIALS:

  • Library of Congress Document Analysis Worksheets
  • Venn diagram