B. C. Franklin started practicing law in the early 1900s. He moved to the Greenwood district in Tulsa, Oklahoma to start his own law firm. But, little did he know he was in the wrong place at the right time.
The Tulsa Race Massacre occurred shortly after Franklin moved to Greenwood. Thankfully, he survived, but he didn’t let fear manifest. He immediately jumped into action to help his people.
He set up a tent and began legally advocating for the massacre's victims. The city issued a fire ordinance to prevent citizens from rebuilding Black Wall Street. Franklin chose this issue to be at the center of his lawsuit against the city.
However, Tulsa denied citizens the right to process their insurance claims. Still, everything was rebuilt by 1925 without government financial assistance.
We cannot depend on the government or a system that works against us to support our liberation. Our true power comes from within each and every one of us. When we work together, there’s nothing we cannot overcome.