Tulsa, Oklahoma

1921Tulsa Race Massacre: A white mob attacked the prosperous Black neighborhood of Greenwood, known as 'Black Wall Street,' over two days. An estimated 300 people were killed, 10,000 left homeless, and 35 blocks were burned. The massacre was covered up for decades.

1905Oil Boom Makes Tulsa Rich: The discovery of the Glenn Pool oil field and other massive deposits made Tulsa the oil capital of the world. Petroleum wealth funded the city's Art Deco architecture and cultural institutions.

1957Oral Roberts University Founded: Evangelist Oral Roberts founded his university in Tulsa with its distinctive futuristic architecture, including the 200-foot Prayer Tower. ORU became a major institution of the charismatic Christian movement.

2020Greenwood History Acknowledged: A century after the massacre, Tulsa began formally acknowledging the destruction of Greenwood. Excavations of potential mass graves began, and survivors received renewed national attention.

1898Tulsa Incorporated: Tulsa was incorporated as a city in Indian Territory, originally settled by Creek Nation members who had been forcibly relocated on the Trail of Tears.

1970Aerospace Industry Grows: American Airlines established its largest maintenance base in Tulsa, and aerospace companies made the city one of the top aircraft maintenance centers in the world.

1925Art Deco Building Boom: Oil wealth funded a spectacular building boom in Tulsa, creating one of the finest collections of Art Deco architecture in the United States.

1984Oil Bust Devastates Economy: The collapse of oil prices devastated Tulsa's petroleum-dependent economy, forcing the city to diversify into aerospace, healthcare, and technology.

1974Devastating Tornado: A tornado swept through Tulsa, killing 3 people and causing widespread damage. It was part of a pattern of severe weather that regularly threatens the city.

2018Gathering Place Opens: The $465 million Gathering Place park opened along the Arkansas River, funded by the George Kaiser Family Foundation. It was named the best new attraction in the country.