I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6199 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resources study 

regarding the suitability and feasibility of designating the John Hope 

Franklin Reconciliation Park and other sites in Tulsa, Oklahoma, relating to the 1921 Tulsa race riot as a unit of the National Park System, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010 

Mr. SULLIVAN (for himself, Ms. FALLIN, Mr. COLE, Mr. LUCAS, and Mr. 

BOREN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special 

resources study regarding the suitability and feasibility 

of designating the John Hope Franklin Reconciliation 

Park and other sites in Tulsa, Oklahoma, relating to 

the 1921 Tulsa race riot as a unit of the National 

Park System, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

4 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Prior to May 31, 1921, the community of 

2 Greenwood, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was a thriv3 ing African-American business community and home 

4 to nearly 11,000 citizens. 

5 (2) The southern end of Greenwood Avenue 

6 formed the backbone of the Greenwood commercial 

7 district. This mile-long stretch of several blocks was 

8 characterized by one-, two-, and three-story red 

9 brick buildings housing dozens of African-American10 owned and operated businesses, organizations, insti11 tutions, newspapers, churches, and a hospital. 

12 (3) Greenwood was the location of the 1921 

13 Tulsa race riot, recognized as one of the most violent 

14 race riots following World War I in terms of blood15 shed and property loss. On May 31, 1921, to June 

16 1, 1921, mobs invaded Greenwood, the city’s seg17 regated African-American community, during an 18- 

18 hour period. 

19 (4) During the riot, between 35 and 40 square 

20 blocks of Greenwood’s residential area and virtually 

21 all of the commercial district were destroyed. 

22 (5) Approximately 700 persons were injured 

23 and many people lost their lives. The American Red 

24 Cross reported that 1,256 houses were burned, leav25 ing 9,000 homeless. The Tulsa Real Estate ExVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:12 Sep 25, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6199.IH H6199

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1 change estimated nearly $1,500,000 worth of dam2 ages, one-third of that in the business district, and 

3 claimed personal property losses at $750,000. 

4 (6) The 1921 Tulsa race riot illustrates the key 

5 characteristics of race riots during the 1886 to early 

6 1920’s era and ranks as one of the most devastating 

7 incidents of racial violence in United States history. 

8 (7) As the last major race riot of the era, the 

9 Tulsa race riot represented the closing chapter to 

10 the racial violence that swept across the United 

11 States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

12 (8) Since 1921, the people of Tulsa of all races 

13 have worked closely to bridge the racial divides and 

14 to learn from the many lessons of the 1921 Tulsa 

15 race riot. 

16 SEC. 2. STUDY. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Interior shall 

18 conduct a special resource study of the sites in Tulsa, 

19 Oklahoma, relating to the 1921 Tulsa race riot, including 

20 the John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park, to determine 

21 the suitability and feasibility of including the sites as a 

22 unit of the National Park System. 

23 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—The study conducted under 

24 subsection (a) shall include the analysis and recommenda25 tions of the Secretary on the alternatives for management, 


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1 administration, and protection of the sites relating to the 

2 riot. 

3 (c) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the study under 

4 subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with— 

5 (1) appropriate Federal agencies and State and 

6 local government entities; and 

7 (2) interested groups and organizations. 

8 (d) APPLICABLE LAW.—The study required under 

9 subsection (a) shall be conducted in accordance with Pub10 lic Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-1 et seq.). 

11 SEC. 3. REPORT. 

12 Not later than 3 fiscal years after the date on which 

13 funds are first made available for this Act, the Secretary 

14 shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of 

15 the House of Representatives and the Committee on En16 ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the 

17 findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study 

18 required under section 2. 

Æ 


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