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The Tulsa Race Riots Trivia Quiz

This was a shocking episode in American history, but not one usually taught in school.

A multiple-choice quiz by severnriver. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
severnriver

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
278,439

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
918

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 110 (2/10), Guest 108 (6/10), Guest 204 (5/10).

This quiz has 2 formats: you can play it as a or as shown below.
Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key.

1. The Tulsa riots were a confrontation between some of the white community of Tulsa, Oklahoma and the nearby black community of Greenwood. What best describes Greenwood just prior to the riots? Hint

It was generally unknown among black communities

It was a poor community

It was fairly prosperous

It was isolated from the white community

NEXT>

2. At the time of the riots, the Ku Klux Klan was active in the Tulsa area. The KKK enjoyed positive publicity from a movie that played all over the United States. What was that movie? Hint

"Birth of a Nation"

"The Triumph of the Will"

"Gone With the Wind"

"The Sound and the Fury"

NEXT>

3. The Tulsa Riots occurred just after a major war. Both black and white veterans from that war were involved in the riots, bringing their weapons and army training with them. Which war was it? Hint

World War II

World War I

The Civil War

The Vietnam War

NEXT>

4. The arrest of a young black man, Dick Rowland, started the events that led to the riots. What was he accused of? Hint

Showing disrespect to a police officer

Molesting a young white woman

Stealing from a white family

Running over a white child with his car

NEXT>

5. Just before the riots, a major Tulsa newspaper called on crowds to lynch the black prisoner just arrested.

True

False

NEXT>

6. What did the sheriff, William McCullough, do when confronted with the hostile crowd demanding the release of the prisoner to them? Hint

He fled for his life

He resisted at first, then had to give in to superior numbers

He told them to go home

He gave in to the crowd almost at once

NEXT>

7. The first shots and casualties of the Tulsa riots occurred at:
Hint

The jail house

The commercial district

The boundary of Greenwood

The court house

NEXT>

8. After the original outbreak of violence, mobs from Tulsa crossed into the black community of Greenwood around daybreak the next day. What did they do there? Hint

They shot armed men

They set fire to homes

All of these

They shot civilians

NEXT>

9. What were the most likely estimates of deaths and damage in the Tulsa riots? Hint

Over 1,000 killed and thousands of homes destroyed

About 50 killed and 80-120 homes destroyed

About 100 killed and hundreds of homes destroyed

Around 300 killed and about 1,000 homes destroyed

NEXT>

10. In the immediate aftermath of the riots, the community of Greenwood worked to rebuild its homes and businesses. What factors stood in the way of rebuilding? Hint

Money was tight

Many people stayed away

All of these

The City of Tulsa changed its building codes

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Tulsa riots were a confrontation between some of the white community of Tulsa, Oklahoma and the nearby black community of Greenwood. What best describes Greenwood just prior to the riots?

Answer: It was fairly prosperous

The black community of Greenwood was fairly prosperous, benefitting from the oil boom in the Tulsa area. The community had its own doctors, dentists, stores and movie theaters. Instead of being isolated, the community had many members who worked (mainly in domestic labor) in the nearby white community (according to Tim Madigan of "The Burning"). Greenwood was also distinguished among other black communities by its relative prosperity.

2. At the time of the riots, the Ku Klux Klan was active in the Tulsa area. The KKK enjoyed positive publicity from a movie that played all over the United States. What was that movie?

Answer: "Birth of a Nation"

"Birth of a Nation", released in 1915, portrayed members of the KKK as "righteous avengers". In this movie, KKK members pursue and lynch a black man, Gus, who had attacked a white woman named Little Sister. The movie was very popular and helped to increase the membership of the KKK.

3. The Tulsa Riots occurred just after a major war. Both black and white veterans from that war were involved in the riots, bringing their weapons and army training with them. Which war was it?

Answer: World War I

World War I had ended just over two years earlier. Participants on both sides were recent veterans whose army weapons added firepower and increased the number of dead and wounded. One of the leaders of Greenwood's community was an army veteran who had fought in France, O.B. Mann.

4. The arrest of a young black man, Dick Rowland, started the events that led to the riots. What was he accused of?

Answer: Molesting a young white woman

Dick Rowland was a stylish young man from Greenwood who had allegedly assaulted a young white woman, Sarah Page, in an elevator. He claimed that he tripped and fell onto her accidentally, but had not assaulted her.

5. Just before the riots, a major Tulsa newspaper called on crowds to lynch the black prisoner just arrested.

Answer: True

Shockingly, the "Tulsa Tribune" and its editor, Richard L. Jones, printed a large notice calling on crowds to lynch the prisoner, Dick Rowland. Some employees of the paper tried, too late, to retrieve the inflammatory issues off the streets.

6. What did the sheriff, William McCullough, do when confronted with the hostile crowd demanding the release of the prisoner to them?

Answer: He told them to go home

The sheriff and his six deputies warned the crowd that he would defend the prisoner by force. In the meantime, armed men from the black community of Greenwood appeared at the jail with the aim of preventing a lynching. The first group of Greenwood men returned home after McCullough assured them that he could protect his prisoner from the crowd. Fearing the worst, however, they later returned.

7. The first shots and casualties of the Tulsa riots occurred at:

Answer: The jail house

With both sides facing each other at the jail house where the prisoner was guarded, a struggle over a gun caused shots. Then, both sides began firing, causing at least 20 casualties. The Tulsa riots had begun.

8. After the original outbreak of violence, mobs from Tulsa crossed into the black community of Greenwood around daybreak the next day. What did they do there?

Answer: All of these

Most of the casualties and damage happened in this phase of the riots. The mobs set fire to many homes and businesses in the Greenwood community. They also shot and killed both civilians and armed Greenwood residents who were fighting back. They even attacked the Greenwood residents with planes! Greenwood lost its main church, hospital, and one of its most prominent citizens, the surgeon Dr. A. Jackson.

The prisoner Dick Rowland, however, did survive.

9. What were the most likely estimates of deaths and damage in the Tulsa riots?

Answer: Around 300 killed and about 1,000 homes destroyed

After the riots, many Greenwood residents were forced to live in tents because so many of their homes were burned, looted or otherwise ruined. The Red Cross estimated over 1,110 homes were destroyed. According to reports, authorities did not keep an accurate count of casualties, but the figure of 300 is an accepted estimate.

10. In the immediate aftermath of the riots, the community of Greenwood worked to rebuild its homes and businesses. What factors stood in the way of rebuilding?

Answer: All of these

One of the major obstacles to rebuilding was the City of Tulsa's change in building code, requiring all new buildings to be built of brick and to be at least two stories tall. This was a financial hardship for the Greenwood community, and they fought the new code in court and won.

Much of the information in the quiz comes from the book "The Burning" by Tim Madigan. Thank you for taking the time for this quiz.

Source: Author severnriver

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

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