“Did you know this about Black Wall Street?” In 1905, O.W. Gurley moved to Tulsa, bought 40 acres in North Tulsa, and built what would become Black Wall Street. He started with a rooming house on Greenwood Avenue, then helped finance Black-owned businesses like theaters, brickyards, and even a chartered airplane company. By 1920, the Black population in Greenwood grew from 2,000 to nearly 9,000. Booker T. Washington himself called it “Negro Wall Street.” Gurley didn’t stop there—he built the Gurley Hotel, supported the Masonic Lodge, and co-founded Vernon AME Church. His vision made Greenwood a beacon of Black excellence and self-sufficiency. Let’s honor this legacy of resilience and brilliance.
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