June 2020
Greenwood Project
From Caleb - "Last year I visited Tulsa, Oklahoma with my wife Christina during a set visit for the Plan B @a24 film "Minari". During a search for interesting places in the city, I came upon the story of Greenwood, aka "Black Wall Street".
What I discovered shook me to the core, because it was not only one of the most affluent black communities of the 20th century, but also the site of one of the most brutal race massacres that ever occurred in American history. I'd never heard of Black Wall Street--or the Tulsa Race Massacre. The deeper I dug, the more horrified I became to find that one of black culture's finest success stories and greatest tragedies had been all but omitted from local, state, and national histories. Greenwood has laid heavy on my heart since then, and we felt that America might finally be ready to listen to its story. We NEED to tell and remember the history of Greenwood, first as an example of the power of black entrepreneurship, and secondly because it's one of MANY stories that illustrate the "why" of today's racial issues. Recognizing and unpacking Greenwood--not just its carnage, but also its pre-massacre prosperity--is VITAL to shifting perspectives and creating change for the future.
In June, Goodfight launched an 100-hour PRESALE for the Greenwood tee to bring awareness to Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre, while supporting the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce's initiative to raise money to restore the 10 remaining buildings of Historic Greenwood Avenue. It's an effort to preserve history and repair facilities for its current programs to empower the black community through small business development and services. 100% of proceeds will go towards their "Rebuild Greenwood: The Original Black Wall Street" GoFundMe, which has a goal to reach $1 million by the centennial of the tragedy next year. If you are moved to contribute directly: gofundme.com/f/RestoreBlackWallStreet
Tee shirts are made in USA, manufactured by a local factory that has operated in downtown Los Angeles since 1989 in our continuing efforts to support sustainable local labor."
