Tulsa Race Massacre events cancelled due to ‘unexpected circumstances’ as DHS warns of racist threats

Event marking century since attack on Black Wall Street, where its believed 39 people died, cancelled due to fears of racist violence

A televised event marking a century since the Tulsa RaceMassacre has been cancelled, reportedly due to a recommendation from the Department of Homeland Security.

Featured guests at the memorial, titled “Remember and Rise”, were to include singer-songwriter John Legend and political campaigner Stacey Abrams, and planned on airing on the tragedy’s 100 year anniversary on Monday.

“Due to unexpected circumstances with entertainers and speakers, the Centennial Commission is unable to fulfill our high expectations for Monday afternoon’s commemoration event and has determined not to move forward with the event at this time. We have hopes to reschedule later in this 100th commemorative year,” wrote the the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission.

Aside from concerns about potential acts and speakers, the Department of Homeland Security expressed the possibility of an attack from neo-Nazis and white supremacists.

While there had been nothing the Department deemed serious, they said in a note that said “the current Homeland threat remains heightened”.

DHS also went into detail about the techniques of white supremacist groups, noting they “historically have used simple tactics, such as vehicle ramming, small arms, edged weapons, and rudimentary explosive devices to target individuals perceived as having ideologically opposing views, racial minorities, or law enforcement at mass gatherings or crowded public spaces”.

These were used during the 2017 Charlottesville clashes involving white supremacists, who chanted hate slogans like “Jews will not replace us” while carrying tiki torches. A vehicle ramming led to the death of counter-protester Heather Heyer, who was out on the streets of the Virgina town to oppose the racist demonstrations.

The White House reports that President Joe Biden still intends to travel and take part in the memorial ceremonies in Oklahoma.

The Tulsa Race Massacre happened occurred in 1921. On the horrific day, a furious group of white people, spurred on by inaccurate allegations of sexual assault against a Black teen boy, rioted in the Greenwood area of Tulsa between 31 May and 1 June. The area, known as “Black Wall Street”, was ravaged. Hundreds were murdered. Many were forced to flee their homes.

It is believed to be one of the most violent racist hate crimes in US history. Despite the event’s devastation, the horrific occasion has become more well-known only in the past several years, after popular TV shows “Watchmen” and “Lovecraft County”. Some academics believe it was actively suppressed in media and in schools

A full list of commemorative events can be found here.