1921 Black Wall Street Memorial Seeing Renovations Ahead Of Centennial

The 1921 Black Wall Street Memorial in Greenwood is being renovated ahead of the massacre centennial commemoration at the end of the month. 

Two features that were always meant to be part of the memorial will soon be added: a fountain and an eternal flame. The Black Wall Street Memorial stands in front of the Greenwood Cultural Center and was first dedicated during the 75th anniversary of the massacre. 

Program Coordinator Michelle Brown Burdex said the fountain will be to the west of the memorial, and the eternal flame will soon burn again. 

"They were a part of the original design, however, they never really worked properly,” Brown Burdex said. 

Over the last 25 years, the story of Black Wall Street has been shared with visitors, including a list of businesses destroyed during the massacre. There is still a lot of work to do in the next several days, but Brown Burdex said thanks to ONE Gas, which paid for the renovations, the memorial will finally be complete, in time for the centennial. 

"It creates such a reflective space with the water fountain, with the eternal flame. And being able to sit in that space and just appreciate where you are,” Brown Burdex said. 

The public is invited to see the renovations be unveiled. That will be May 28th at 10:30 a.m.