Whites Serving Whites not Considered 'too White'

Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud. Say it Loud, I'mRochester, New York wrote: 'In the residential section
Black and I'm Proud.there were homes of beauty and splendor which
Well. Let's whisper that. Wouldn't want anyone to thinkwould please the most critical eye.' Well-known African
we are radical… too Black. Nearly 99 percent of allAmerican personalities often visited the Greenwood
white Americans live in all-white communities, work indistrict, including educators Mary McCloud Bethune and
all-white offices, conduct business with whiteW.E.B. DuBois, scientist George Washington Carver,
customers, and send their children to all-white schools,opera singer Marian Anderson, blues singer Dinah
according to Dr. Claud Anderson, in the bookWashington, and noted Chicago chemist Percy Julian."
Powernomics.(Excerpts from the book Black People and Their Place
But they are not too white. Then there are the others,in History, by Dr. Leroy Vaughn.)
the minorities. Little Havana of Miami, Frogtown of St.The Tulsa incident was not unique during that era. 
Paul, Greektown of Detroit, Little Italy of New York,During the "Red Summer" of 1919. Over 25 race riots,
Chinatown in San Francisco, Jewish Community Boardwhite mobs continued attacking black neighborhoods,
of Akron, Little Vietnams, Little Saigon, Little Koreas,were recorded. In the 1919 race riot at Elaine,
Little Cambodia, Arab communities of Detroit, MexicanArkansas, white mobs killed over 200 African
communities in Minneapolis, to name but a fewAmericans and burned their homes and businesses.
economically vibrant immigrant enclaves throughout theDirector John Singleton exposed the horror of the
United States of America. These ethnic groups allRosewood, Florida massacre of 1922 in his film entitled
came to America in search of riches. They are"Rosewood". A white mob burned down the entire
achieving that. town and tried to kill all of its Black inhabitants. In April
Geoffrey Fox, in his book Hispanic Nation, proclaimed1994, the Florida legislature passed the "Rosewood Bill",
that a new ethnic identity is being constructed in thewhich awarded $150,000 to each of the riot's nine
United States, made up of Mexicans, Puerto Ricans,eligible Black survivors.
Cubans and all other Spanish-speaking groups, that willThe Black Wall Street of Tulsa and the Rosewood of
surpass the Blacks in population and change theFlorida represent our Little Havana, our Chinatowns, our
political focus from Black and white to white andLittle Italy, our Greektowns in the desire to achieve the
Hispanic.American dream.  White America has fought to
The mission statement of the Jewish Communityprevent The Black Wall Street from developing.
Board of Akron states, "The Jewish Community BoardWe are in a battle once again. No, they are not burning
of Akron is a volunteer association of concerned anddown our homes, bombing our businesses, forcing us
committed people that exists for the purpose ofto ride in the back of the bus, or lynching Black men by
preserving, enhancing and perpetuating the Jewishthe dozens on Saturday, as openly done in the past.
way of life. Affiliated with the United JewishThis battle is being fought for our Black dollars. All
Communities."immigrants are given a free ride to stop, drop, and set
Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud? Well maybe notup shop in the Black community in America.  The
according to history. Tiger Woods, the only BlackCuban Adjustment Act of 1966 opened the doors of
golfer on the PGA Tour for the past 10 years, won hisAmerica to any and all Cubans who are fleeing Cuba.
only major victory of 2007, the PGA Championship, inLittle Havana has never been attacked by an angry
Tulsa, Oklahoma, this past weekend. You say, somob of white citizens. Little Havana, like Little Italy, the
what?  Not news. Tiger wins all the time.Chinatowns, and so on, is an enclave where economic
Here is what was not mentioned during the hours ofdevelopment has been allowed to flourish. No Black
broadcast, the numerous interviews, and the countlessCodes, Jim Crow laws, or other barriers to prevent
blimp shots of Tulsa, Oklahoma: On May 31, 1921, thetheir economic development.
Tulsa Oklahoma Massacre took place. What was theHowever, Black business owners are not stopping,
Tulsa Oklahoma Massacre? It was the destruction ofdropping, and opening shop in their communities. A
"The Black Wall Street".  According to historicalBlack-owned business in Chinatown, Little Havana, Little
accounts, the riot began on May 31, 1921, when BlacksItaly, Greektown, or Mexican enclave? The residents
fought off a white lynch mob outside a courthouseof these communities will not do business with them.
where a Black man accused of assaulting a whiteIt's a boycott based simply on the fact that you are
female elevator operator was being held. Policenot one of us. Leave. Black businesses are sent back
deputized a group of whites, who torched as many asto the Black consumer to do battle for the Black dollar
1,000 homes and businesses in the Greenwood District,with white and immigrant businesses.
while Blacks were being confined "in protectiveAre you boycotting Black businesses? The other
custody" at a baseball stadium.immigrants have come to America voluntarily, with
What was significant about Tulsa, Oklahoma was thatgreat hope of wealth. They seek each other out
it was the largest Black economic community of itsvoluntarily to form a community. It's not segregation, but
day. It was referred to as "The Black Wall Street".congregation, based on national, ethnic or cultural
"Since African Americans could neither live amongidenty.  In city after city, they form bonds based on
whites as equals nor patronize white businesses inethnicity.  They are not looking to join forces with the
Tulsa, Blacks had to develop a completely separateBlack community under the premise of advancement.
business district and community, which soon becameIn all the major cities with a significant Black population:
prosperous and legendary. Black dollars invested in theDetroit, MI; Gary, IN; Inglewood, CA; Washington, D.C.;
Black community produced self-pride, self-sufficiency,Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; New Orleans, LA;
and self-determination. The business district, beginningBaltimore, MD; Norfolk, VA; Jacksonville, FL; and
at the intersection of Greenwood Avenue and ArcherJackson, MS, we are not dominant politically or
Street, became so successful and vibrant that Bookereconomically.  They stop, drop, and set up shop in the
T. Washington, during his visit, bestowed the moniker:Black community.  Example: The Black hair care
'Negro Wall Street.'product industry, the industry that Madam C.J. Walker
By 1921, Tulsa's African-American population of 11,000dominated, which improved the economic lives of
had its own bus line, two high schools, one hospital, twoBlack women, is no longer Black-controlled.
newspapers, two theaters, three drugstores, fourIn this post-integration era, the Black consumer,
hotels, a public library, and 13 churches. In addition, thereregardless of social class, is the target for all immigrant
were over 150 two- and three-story brick commercialgroups. It is common knowledge: We will buy from
buildings that housed clothing and grocery stores,anyone, with few exceptions. Will Black businesses
cafes, rooming houses, nightclubs, and a large numberever restore the greatness of "The Black Wall
of professional offices of doctors, lawyers, dentistsStreet"?  I often hear the comparison: Blacks should
and others.be more like the Jews, Mexicans, Hmong, Chinese, and
Tulsa's progressive African American communityArabs.  If we do start to be more like those groups,
boasted of some of the city's most elegant brickthey will be putting a sign on their businesses - GOING
homes, well furnished with china, fine linens, beautifulOUT OF BUSINESS.  Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm
furniture, and grand pianos. Mary Elizabeth Parrish fromProud!.