Watch Live: Biden travels to Tulsa to honor victims of 1921 massacre
Washington — President Biden on Tuesday will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, becoming the first president to travel to Tulsa to honor the victims of the two-day rampage by a White mob.
Upon his arrival in Tulsa, Mr. Biden will first tour the Greenwood Cultural Center with Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge, domestic policy adviser Susan Rice and senior adviser Cedric Richmond before delivering remarks remembering the death and destruction that began on May 31, 1921.
How to watch President Biden’s remarks in Tulsa
- What: President Biden delivers remarks commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre
- Date: Tuesday, June 1, 2021
- Time: 4:15 p.m. ET
- Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Online stream: Live on CBSN in the player above or on your mobile or streaming device
The president is also expected to meet with the survivors of the massacre, who are all in their early 100s. The three last known survivors testified last month before a House subcommittee about the riot and are urging Congress to consider reparations to be paid to the Greenwood community.
An estimated 300 Black Tulsa residents were killed in the massacre, during which a White mob destroyed more than 30 square blocks of homes and businesses in the Greenwood district, known as Black Wall Street.
During his remarks, Mr. Biden is set to announce new initiatives to target the racial wealth gap, including by expanding access to home ownership and small business ownership for disadvantaged communities. The Biden administration is setting a goal of increasing the share of federal contracts going to small disadvantaged businesses by 50% by 2026, which translates to an additional $100 billion over the five-year span, the White House announced Tuesday. The administration is also announcing steps to end discrimination and bias in the housing market, including by launching an interagency initiative to combat inequity in home appraisals.
Mr. Biden is also set to discuss how his jobs plan makes investments to build wealth and opportunity equitably, including in communities of color. The president’s proposal, however, is still being negotiated with Congress.
While the president is not expected to discuss reparations for survivors and descendants of victims of the Tulsa Race Massacre in his address, senior administration officials said Monday that Mr. Biden supports a study of reparations.
Mr. Biden’s visit comes as the nation continues to grapple with racial inequity and injustice. The president has called on Congress to pass police reform legislation in the wake of George Floyd’s death last year, which led to nationwide protests against police brutality, and has taken steps unilaterally to address racial inequity.
