George Floyd protests: Ricky Martin recalls 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, fans say hate crime was 'omitted from history'
George Flyod's death has sparked global outrage. The horrifying incident has united people from all walks of life — people of power to commoners. Everyone is deeply invested and rallying against the jarring racism that has cost countless lives over the years. Days after the horrifying episode, singer-actor Ricky Martin took to social media to share information about a riot from the early 1900s — The Tulsa Race Massacre. On June 1, 1921, white rioters had attacked black residents and their businesses, which resulted in death and destruction.
"White rioters attacked black residents and businesses of the thriving Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma, looting and burning the neighborhood to the ground, and murdering residents," he wrote on Instagram. The riot was labeled as "the single worst incident of racial violence in American history", Ricky posted and added that the attack was being carried on the ground as well as from private planes. It destroyed over 35 blocks of the community. It was, at the time, considered one of the wealthiest black communities and was known as the "Black Wall Street". He ended his note with a string of hashtags — #KnowTheirStruggle #StillLearning #blacklivesmatter — that connects his post to the racism the world has been combating for decades now.
Meanwhile, fans have shared how they too don't understand the hatred against people of color. "So sad I just don't get hate for blacks. It's only the color of our skin, is the only difference! We all are different but same too," a fan wrote. Another shared, "Never learned about this in school. Comes to show that they decide which narratives they spread. The difference between what happened then and what is happening now is that what’s happening now is a fight for Human Rights, back then it was a hate crime against an up and coming black community," a user pointed out. "Thank you for posting this! Very few people realize this took place cause it has been PURPOSELY OMITTED from history in schools and that’s a shame, how can society change if they are not given the full history? This is of high importance for the new generations," another echoed.