Barbara Lee: “First, let me thank the gentleman from New York for organizing this very important Special Order and for his tremendous…”

“First, let me thank the gentleman from New York for organizing this very important Special Order and for his tremendous leadership on so many issues on behalf of his district, the Congressional Black Caucus, and on behalf of all Americans. Let me first send my deepest condolences to Chairwoman Joyce Beatty and her family on the loss of her beloved husband, Otto Beatty, Jr., a devoted partner, beloved father, grandfather, and community leader. Our hearts are broken this evening as we think about Congresswoman Beatty and her family, and just know we are praying for her and her community and her family. This is a Special Order tonight that I want to thank again Congressman Ritchie Torres and the Congressional Black Caucus for organizing this to mark 100 years since the horrific tragedy of the Tulsa Greenwood massacre. In one of the worst acts of racist violence in United States history, a White mob ransacked a prosperous African-American neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. From May 31 to June 1, 1921, an estimated 300 Black men, women, and children were murdered. The mob destroyed 35 square blocks of Greenwood and burned down over 1,000 Black-owned businesses, churches, and homes. During a time when lynching African Americans was commonplace, the alleged--mind you, alleged--assault of a White woman by a Black man was enough to incite a massacre of unimaginable proportions. A thriving Black community became the target of animosity and racial hatred by its neighbors.…”