By MIKE SIMONS Staff Photographer on Jun 3, 2012, at 6:00 AM Updated on 1/08 at 4:23 PM
Jazmyn Bell(left) of West Haven, Ct., Egbeyinka Fagbenro of Dallas and Ifakemi Amusan of Tulsa dance and sing as the African Ancestral Society holds their 14th annual march to commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot May 27, 2012. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
Arriving early to cover a Tulsa Drillers game, I heard chanting and drumming coming from the John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park across the street. I had to check it out.
When I got there, I spotted Chief Egunwale Amusan, someone I had photographed on a previous assignment during the Good Friday shooting spree. He greeted me with a huge smile and welcomed me. But I still wasn’t sure what I was photographing. Amusan is concerned that the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot isn’t being taught
in schools, so for the last 14 years the African Ancestral Society has held an annual march in memory of the riot. He told me history will die if remembrances like this aren’t held.
The group sings, dances and marches while wearing all white. White signifies that death is an opportunity for rebirth, he said. As they pass ONEOK Field, people stop and watch, some take photos. Some point and smile. The group passes by while singing upbeat songs, and then baseball fans get back to their hot dogs and beer.
The group marches on, and remembers what happened in this area 91 years ago.
Simba(left), Modupe Falls and Kenya Williams listen to speakers as the African Ancestral Society holds their 14th annual march to commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot May 27, 2012. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
The African Ancestral Society holds their 14th annual march to commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot May 27, 2012. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
Carmen Washington of Fort Worth, Tx. wears a Rastafarian necklace as the African Ancestral Society holds their 14th annual march to commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot May 27, 2012. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
Travelyn Smith drums as the African Ancestral Society holds their 14th annual march to commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot May 27, 2012. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
Ifakemi Amusan(left) listens as Chief Omilana Fagbenro speaks as the African Ancestral Society holds their 14th annual march to commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot May 27, 2012. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
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