The Kinsey Collection featured in National Geographic

The Kinsey Collection was recently featured in National Geographic’s article, In Tulsa, an ‘incredible American story’ of Black resilience is finally recognized. Read an excerpt from the article below and click here to read the article in its entirety.

Urban renewal programs in later decades (including the routing of Interstate 244 through the heart of the community) and eventual gentrification continued to change the community makeup. Today, the neighborhood includes the Greenwood Cultural Center, whose mission is to preserve African American heritage in the area and promote cultural exchange. The center is partnering with Gathering Place park on the Tulsa Riverfront this summer to co-host the Kinsey African American Art Collection—one of the largest collections of historic art and artifacts of its kind.

The Kinsey family’s collection—one of the largest troves of African American artworks and artifacts in the world—is also on display at Tulsa’s The Gathering Place riverfront park.

PHOTOGRAPH BY GRACESON TODD, GATHERING PLACE

Visitors explore the Kinsey African American Art and History Collection at the Greenwood Cultural Center on May 21, 2021, one of two venues in Tulsa that will showcase the collection through June 27, 2021.

GREENWOOD CULTURAL CENTER

Although there is only one commercial building remaining on Black Wall Street that is Black-owned, the strong heartbeat of the community continues. This is where Fulton Street Books opened in July 2020, “a space where children and adults can walk in and see themselves reflected on the shelves,” according to owner Onikah Asamoa-Caesar. Also here, Venita Cooper founded Silhouette Sneakers & Art, a vintage fashion and high-end sneaker shop and art gallery, which recently raised enough through community donations (including their own) to pay the rent for more than 25 local families who were in need. Other Greenwood Black businesses include spas, cafés, and galleries.