New Oklahoma National Register Listing

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office is pleased to announce the National Register of Historic Places designation for the 100 Block of North Greenwood Avenue in Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma. The National Register of Historic Places is our nation’s official list of properties significant in our past.

The 100 Block of North Greenwood Avenue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in Commerce and Ethnic History: Black. This district, also known as “Black Wall Street,” was the economic, cultural and professional center for Tulsa’s African American community. Shops, restaurants, offices and other Black-owned and operated enterprises offered essential services and employment.

Likewise, the consumption of goods and entertainment within the district attained cultural significance among African Americans and the city of Tulsa as a whole. The 100 Block of North Greenwood Avenue helped provide a foundation for African American community building through the mid-twentieth century. It remains an important symbol of African American identity, cultural innovation and free enterprise.

Listing in the National Register is an honorific designation that provides recognition, limited protection and, in some cases, financial incentives for these important properties. The SHPO identifies, evaluates and nominates properties for this special designation.

The State Historic Preservation Office is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people.

Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.