Photos: Event Flyer
Friendship-West Baptist Church will host a series of events to commemorate the legacy of the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Okla. and invite community members to learn and honor the efforts of those who created a rich cultural community and sustained a thriving economic base for Black people.
The first event, “A Sankofa Moment: The 100th Commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre” will take place virtually on June 2, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. CST and will be streamed on the church’s website and social media platforms.
The second event, West Wall Street, a COVID safe minority business vendor marketplace, will take place on June 12th, 2021 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and June 13, 2021 from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the church, located at 2020 Wheatland Road, Dallas, Texas 75232.
The 12,000-member congregation dedicated to justice, activism, action, and advocacy, believes that it is critical to remember the stories of their ancestors to move forward. Their mission is to carry the torch of Black Wall Street in Tulsa OK, and to reimagine a new black wall street for Black communities across the nation.
In the early 1900s, the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa was one of the wealthiest Black communities in the 20th century. The area was thriving with 600 Black businesses, its own bank and hospital, 20+ restaurants and more. Friendship-West Baptist Church hopes to establish a community in the southern sector of DFW that experiences economic growth and stability for all businesses.
The virtual panel event,” A Sankofa Moment: The 100th Commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre,” will be moderated by Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III, the senior pastor of Friendship West Baptist Church and include Rev. Dr. Robert Turner, the pastor of the historic Vernon A.M.E. Church in Tulsa, Lamar Tyler, founder of Traffic Sales and Profit, the premier community for purpose-driven African-American entrepreneurs, and Nancy St. Jacobs the vice president of Community Business Development, North Texas Region for Trust Bank as panelists.
After each panelist has spoken, the virtual audience will have a chance to ask questions and interact with the panelists.
West Wall Street will feature more than 40 Black and minority-owned businesses that community members can support and network with over two days. For more information on West Wall Street and to find the business directory, please visit: https://www.friendshipwest.org/west-wall-street
Community members can expect to be challenged and inspired with this year’s events and are encouraged to take the journey to build and support Black and minority-owned businesses to support communities that have been underserved for years. To take things to the next level, Friendship-West will also lead a 100 Day Buy Black Business Challenge, which will begin 100 days leading into the holidays, in honor of the 100th Commemoration calling for a nationwide challenge for Black communities to use Black-owned businesses for all their service and product needs for 100 days.
For more information this year’s events, please visit https://www.friendshipwest.org.
