Russell Westbrook to Produce Documentary on Tulsa Race Massacre
Rockets guard Russell Westbrook will produce a documentary series on the Tulsa race massacre of 1921, according to Variety's Will Throne.
The project titled “Terror In Tulsa: The Rise And Fall of Black Wall Street," will detail the worst incident of racial violence in American history, in which a white mob attacked a stream of black businesses and homes in the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa. 35 city blocks and over 1,200 homes were destroyed, with between 100 and 300 people killed, per the Tulsa Historical Society.
"Spending 11 years in Oklahoma opened my eyes to the rich and sordid history of the state,” Westbrook told Variety. “When I learned about the heartbreaking events that happened in Tulsa nearly 100 years ago, I knew this was a story I wanted to tell. It’s upsetting that the atrocities that transpired then, are still so relevant today. It’s important we uncover the buried stories of African Americans in this country. We must amplify them now more than ever if we want to create change moving forward.”
The announcement of the documentary series comes amid global protests following the tragic death of George Floyd, who was killed in police custody on May 25. Westbrook spoke at the Compton Peace Walk on June 8, telling the crowd, "in times like this we need to stick together."
"I challenge all you guys to continue to stick together," Westbrook said. "Continue to fight for one another, continue to lift one another up. Continue to protect your home, protect your team, protect your family. In times like this we need to stick together."
Filmmaker Stanley Nelson will direct the documentary series, per Variety. Nelson is a three-time Emmy winner, most recently earning an Emmy for his work on 'The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution' in 2015.
