5:08 - A Sunrise Vigil in Remembrance of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
5:08 - A Sunrise Vigil
In remembrance of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
Tuesday, June 1 | 5 a.m. until Sunrise
Ellis Walker Woods Memorial
(Rain Location: Main Hall Commons)
The Tulsa Race Massacre took place on May 31 and June 1, 1921, when a white mob attacked and destroyed Tulsa’s prosperous Black Greenwood District.
“5:08 – A Sunrise Vigil” will mark the exact time on the morning of June 1 when witnesses recount hearing a train whistle or similar sound, which was interpreted as a signal for the full invasion of the Greenwood District to begin.
The vigil is open to all OSU students, faculty and staff, as well as the public. Participants will hear brief remarks and readings of statements from survivors, then have space to share their thoughts or remain in silent contemplation and remembrance. Attendees who wish to sit are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket.
The OSU-Tulsa campus is located on part of of the more than 35 blocks of Black-owned homes and businesses that were destroyed during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Up to 300 lives were lost during the massacre, with thousands more injured and left homeless. The Ellis Walker Woods Memorial is dedicated to the first principal of Booker T. Washington High School, who provided assistance and shelter to survivors at the school.
The vigil, part of 100 Points of Truth and Transformation, will also be streamed live on OSU-Tulsa's Facebook page.
Parking is free and open on the OSU-Tulsa campus. The closest parking lot to the Ellis Walker Woods Memorial is Lot B.
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