In Tulsa, a poet reflects on art’s transformative power

How does a city confront a violent past? Tulsa, Oklahoma, is wrestling with the question as it prepares for the centennial of the brutal race massacre that took place there on May 31 and June 1, 1921. 

For Tulsa native Jerica Wortham, one answer is through art – especially art that lets Tulsa’s Black community members process their painful history, own the stories for themselves, and find a path toward healing. As program director for The Greenwood Art Project, Ms. Wortham is hoping the project will facilitate space for that to happen. 

In the final episode of “Tulsa Rising,” Ms. Wortham gives our reporters the latest on the project’s status and her reflections on the transformative power of music, poetry, and creativity.

“It is my hope that with … the opportunity to experience these narratives in a way that makes it human, we take it from just the sensational to real life practical, policy change,” she says.   

This episode is an update to Part 3 of our podcast “Tulsa Rising,” which commemorates the centennial of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre. To learn more about the podcast and find other episodes, please visit our page. 

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