If the Tulsa Race Massacre had never happened, would Black Wall Street have influenced the entire nation?
In 1921, North Tulsa’s Greenwood District, the most prosperous Black community in America, was set ablaze, bombed, and looted during a racially motivated violent attack against the thriving Black community. Businesses, homes, and lives were lost, and Black Wall Street, as it was known, has never reclaimed its former glory. The Tulsa Race Massacre was only the first in a line of repeated targeted attacks on the progress of the Greenwood District and its residents.
Through the lens of Black Wall Street descendants Byron Ghalani Crenshaw, Jacqueline Blocker and Michelle Blocker, we draw a century-long thread from the Tulsa Race Massacre to the present, exploring the lingering economic, psychological and emotional impacts that have undermined the rebuilding of the once thriving community.
Through intimate interviews and lyrical verite, Byron, Jacqueline, Michelle and their family members reach back to uplift the stories of their forebears, the success they created, the pride they possess, while also reckoning with the unfulfilled potential of what could have been a Black Promised Land.
Directed by Nailah Jefferson | Run Time 22 minutes | A Transform Films Production
A journey of change through film
Odyssey Impact®’s custom-built resources serve as tools to build awareness, shift attitudes, and inspire action directly in your community. We have discussion guides, facilitator guides, and more!
In 1921, North Tulsa’s Greenwood District, the most prosperous Black community in America, was set ablaze, bombed, and looted during a racially motivated violent attack against the thriving Black community. Businesses, homes, and lives were lost, and Black Wall Street, as it was known, has never reclaimed its former glory. The Tulsa Race Massacre was only the first in a line of repeated targeted attacks on the progress of the Greenwood District.
Impact Goal
The year-long national social impact campaign for Descended from The Promised Land: The Legacy of Black Wall Street is designed to educate, engage and activate the public around the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, acknowledging that this is a major historical event that is not widely taught in schools. The campaign launched in alignment with the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre, with the overarching goal of honoring the legacies of survivors and descendants
Launch Campaign
Launch efforts for Descended from The Promised Land: The Legacy of Black Wall Street officially commenced in late May 2021 to commemorate the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre, with an intentional focus on the community in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Those special screening events included, The University of Tulsa, College of Law, the Black Wall Street Legacy Festival, and a special screening and panel event presented by The March on Washington Film Festival.
Expand Reach
Since the launch, the film has screened at a variety of organizations in both faith and secular communities, including: Giphy, University of Connecticut Law School, George Washington Carver Museum Cultural and Genealogy Center, Ernst & Young, Rosa Parks Museum, and the Guardian Summit, presented by Camelback Ventures.
Meaningful Partnerships
Odyssey Impact® partnered with American Airlines, making the film available as in flight entertainment.
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Let's change the world together
Screening Stories
Here are just a few stories of transformative screenings that communities have hosted of Descending From The Promised Land: The Legacy of Black Wall Street.
Raise awareness of the Tulsa Race Massacre. Share stories of survivors and descendants via social media. Use hashtags #TulsaRaceMassacre and #DescendedFrom.
Odyssey’s custom-built resources serve as tools to build awareness, shift attitudes, and inspire action directly in your community. We have discussion guides, facilitator guides, faith-based guides, and more!
Connect people, empower changemakers, and drive social change. Donate now and make a direct impact on communities!
Impact Campaign work in the News
Black Public Media (BPM) Highlights “Descended from the Promised Land: The Legacy of Black Wall Street”
Black Public Media (BPM), will highlight our film, "Descended from the Promised Land: The Legacy of Black Wall Street," this fall, on October 16, on its AfroPoP Digital Shorts series. AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange is an award-winning documentary series that examines art, daily life and culture throughout the African diaspora. Its 15th season takes a deep dive into Black art and for the first time includes a digital component exclusively focused on short films. AfroPoP viewers can now
Tulsa Historical Overview
Descended from The Promised Land: The Legacy of Black Wall Street connects the past to the present. It is an unmasking of the families whose names are etched into the bricks of Greenwood, a lucrative and industrious empire built for and by Black people in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This story is literally the tale of two cities. Its development was not solely a product of Jim Crow, a set of laws that segregated communities and individuals of color, as many have erroneously reported.
Time for
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