Tom Hanks Wants the Tulsa Race Massacre to be Taught In School

Wikimedia Commons, By Zach Catanzareti

Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks is advocating for America to get educated on the Tulsa Race Massacre. 

In an op-ed he wrote for the New York Times, the “Forrest Gump” star said “America’s history is messy, but knowing that makes us wiser and stronger people.” Even though he’s studied up on the nation’s past, Hanks claims he wasn’t educated on the massacre in school.  

“For all my study, I never read a page of any school history book about how, in 1921, a mob of white people burned down a place called Black Wall Street, killed as many as 300 of its Black citizens, and displaced thousands of Black Americans who lived in Tulsa, Okla,” he penned.

He explained that history has been written by people that look like him. “My experience was common: History was mostly written by white people about white people like me, while Black people – including the horrors of Tulsa – was too often left out.”

And went on to point out that Hollywood is just as guilty of forgetting. “Until relatively recently, the entertainment industry, which helps shape what is history and what is forgotten, did the same. That includes projects of mine,” he continued. “I knew about the attack on Fort sumter, Custer’s last stand, and Pearl Harbor but did not know of the Tulsa massacre until last year, thanks to an article in The New York Times.”

Hanks said his education left out the anti-Black violence between the Reconstruction Era and the civil rights movement, and he was unaware how commonplace and celebrated lynching was by law enforcement and local papers. 

“How different would perspectives be had we all been taught about Tulsa in 1921, even as early as the fifth grade? Today, I find the omission tragic, an opportunity missed, a teachable moment squandered,” he pondered. 

In conclusion, Hanks urged educators to “stop the battle to whitewash curriculums to avoid discomfort for students. America’s history is messy but knowing that makes us a wiser and stronger people.”


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speedle
speedle
2 years ago

Yeah Dummy, let’s wipe out all history except that which supports your “Woke” agenda. There are only so many hours in a school day and so many days of school. It seems to me that we are already suffering as a nation from a lack of practical life supporting education for our children. Of course that doesn’t matter for multi-millionaires who became rich “playing” like soldiers and policemen behind the camera. Go away Hanks.

Al Sandford
Al Sandford
2 years ago
Reply to  speedle

The only way to show our disgust for these “celebrities” is by erasing their history. Let the 14% keep them in business, see how that works out for them.

Paes
2 years ago

I was told this slime bag ,was put away already !! is this not true ?????

Kdub
Kdub
2 years ago
Reply to  Paes

Paes….I have heard the same exact thing…..

Doris Lauter
Doris Lauter
2 years ago

It will only inflame the blacks and cause another Floyd riot, lasting weeks, tearing up cities. and them wanting reparations. They wiped out our history by tearing down statues and monuments of America history. We will get along nicely if you would quit playing the victim for blacks. Leave it in the libraries..

Dolores Linthurst
Dolores Linthurst
2 years ago
Reply to  Doris Lauter

Could not agree with you more! Besides I just read up on the massacre since did not read about in school. Let’s make sure people don’t get this history screwed up as well. Anyone want to read up on it, feel free! I learned alot! The massacre started when a black young man was accused of raping a white woman. Read on!

oldedude
oldedude
2 years ago

It was a “race riot”. Calling it a “massacre” rather obscures the reality. While there’s some disagreement and one can find the numbers are all over the place, the most likely casualty figure is a total of 39 dead. Of those killed, 26 were Black and 13 were White, which is not exactly the “massacre of the innocents” image the “race pimps” want to sell.

Merms
Merms
2 years ago

Who cares what Tom Hanks thinks!!

Nine Island Girl
Nine Island Girl
2 years ago
Reply to  Merms

That’s what I say!

Patriot
Patriot
2 years ago
Reply to  Merms

Not me.

Christopher Mcgrath
2 years ago
Reply to  Merms

You did!!!

Carlo
Carlo
2 years ago

How about teaching kids how black lives matter supporters killed innocent people and burned towns down.How they attacked white people minding their own business. Stop painting all whites as evil and all blacks as Saints.

wcapurro
wcapurro
2 years ago
Reply to  Carlo

And BLM did it, not 100 years ago, they’ve been doing it for the past 5 years and as early as yesterday.

Patriot
Patriot
2 years ago
Reply to  Carlo

Don’t forget BLM burned, looted and destroyed black business and homes along with whites. This isn’t about race, it’s about chaos, control and suppression.

madmemere
madmemere
2 years ago
Reply to  Carlo

Rather astonishing what was NOT taught to us, in our own American history classes. For instance, they did NOT teach us “White Irish Catholics” were brought to the US as slaves, BY THE ENGLISH ROYALS, long before black slaves were brought here, but you do NOT hear our Irish descendants blathering about reparations! Not only were we NOT taught about the “alleged” Tulsa Massacre, we were NOT taught that Abraham Lincoln was actually a “tyrant” instead of the Union’s “savior” – -he executed numerous Native American Indian leaders, in order to “take their lands” in Minnesota and Wisconsin! They avoided teaching us FDR “favored” communism, nor did they teach us General George Patton was “murdered” by our own government! They have NOT taught our children that CPUSA (communist party USA) “bought” the democrat party in the 1960’s and promptly “infested” most of our government. By the way, commie pelosi is the “leader of the pack”! She has been a party member for decades. This is not heresy, but you do have to do some research to find it – – it IS there. Hate to “burst anyones’ bubble”, but America needs to know.

J Stearns
J Stearns
2 years ago

Meanwhile, schools are turning out students who overwhelmingly know nothing about the abundantly positive things this country has done for its own citizens & the free world at large. You can add Hanks himself to this alarming list of uniformed voters & influencers.

Namvet
Namvet
2 years ago

What another freakin loser. Let’s dwell on the BLM focus Tommy boy and forget about the current day lawless and America hating democrats. What about Margaret Sanger’s continued murder of innocent children? Did you learn about her founding of Planned Parenthood? What about president Wilson’s hatred for blacks? What about the Democrats refusal to let blacks have guns? You are a chump!

USA
USA
2 years ago

Who is Tam Hangs?

Nine Island Girl
Nine Island Girl
2 years ago
Reply to  USA

A libturd turd!

Lee Embrey
Lee Embrey
2 years ago

Tom Hanks is a idiot right up there with Gretchen Whitmore

Gina
Gina
2 years ago

Who the hell cares what Time Hanks thinks? Or any Hollywood person.

wcapurro
wcapurro
2 years ago

Hanks is right. Hollywood should make a film of this historic tragedy and he should star in it as one of the white supremicist thugs doing the burning and the killing. It’s just what our Country needs right about now don’t you think?

Gene Ralno
Gene Ralno
2 years ago

I heard the Tulsa massacre was carried out by the local KKK at the behest of leading democrats in the area. I’d like to see ALL the facts in lieu of just what the NYT invents.

Patriot
Patriot
2 years ago
Reply to  Gene Ralno

I would like to hear and see ALL EVIDENCE that led up to the massacre. i don’t agree with the massacre but I believe there is more to the story than being told in the news media.

Barbara albrecht
Barbara albrecht
2 years ago
Reply to  Gene Ralno

Agree with you that it should be pointed out that it was DEMOCRATS that supported the KKK that carried out this atrocity, as they also were responsible for the lynchings, etc that Hanks wants taught. Maybe it should be, but the DEMOCRATS need to be highlighted as the hateful racists and bigots that they were and are. If that bit of “history” was to be taught, it would be stopped immediately. Stop painting ALL white citizens with this broad brush. It was and always have been the DEMOCRATS who have worked against the African Americans in this country.

Kdub
Kdub
2 years ago
Reply to  Gene Ralno

You heard correct…Democraps founded the KKK and Jim Crow was a good ole Democrap himself…

Geary E Carr
Geary E Carr
2 years ago

Entitled Arrogant Asshole !

Thomas Bodine
Thomas Bodine
2 years ago

Commenting on Hollyweird personalities is like pissing in the wind a total waste of time and thought. 🐀💥☠

Richard Hennessy
Richard Hennessy
2 years ago

Certainly, the occurrence was significant enough to be mentioned in history books. However, is should not be given any more prominence than other events of comparable significance and it certainly should not be cited as evidence of any attitudes prevalent today.

Mark Brickey
Mark Brickey
2 years ago

I do agree with him – none of us have heard about the Tulsa thing until just now. There have been black historians, writers, commentators, educators, and POLITICIANS. Why has nothing been said? This is notjust the “fault” of “whities”.
A civilization does tend to write its own history. You see nothing in Roman history about Christians, well – at least anything significant or good – You see nothing in African history about them selling their own people to Muslims. All of China’s history praises Chinese.
Now, though, American history that was taught at elementary in my day (50+ years ago) was designed to present the best of America – of course. Secondary went into Jim Crow, Antebellum and “filled out” history – including reading about Tuskegee, the blacks fighting WW2, etc. Then, in College, I had the opportunity to take a class titled “American History from Black Perspective”. A tough, demanding professor, a wise, intelligent 50ish black woman and BOY did we have some good discussions. We had a good mix of students and is was a summer interim class so sometimes discussions went beyond scheduled times.
That’s what’s missing about all this crap going on today – instead of putting things in perspective, studying & allowing others the opportunity of studying, then discussing & even “agreeing to disagree” on at least some points, we get nowhere except screaming without listening, bloodshed without honor, and finally tyranny without freedom.

JCE
JCE
2 years ago

Tom Hanks opinion doesn’t matter. Our history is fine we don’t need some fake history to screw everyone up. We don’t base our lives on slavery. We have been moving on with our lives and don’t need race baiting activists telling us what to care about or trying to shame any of us. Shut up Tom and go earn a living!

Nobias
2 years ago

One can watch Lamestream Media and be informed of the “mostly peaceful protests”, which have caused billions$ damage, killed innocents, and injured scores of police officers.

Jim
Jim
2 years ago

It certainly is a part of American history, as is the civil war and voting right. But it should not eliminate much of the great American history. Much of history will reflect good and bad decisions. I was fortunate awhile ago to tour Cape Coast Castle in Ghana and see the role played by domestic tribes in slave trade. Again history to learn from

Anti communism
Anti communism
2 years ago

Another clueless person that has no idea of which he speaks,take the leftist version of history as the truth without any credible information to prove it’s validity.

greybeard
greybeard
2 years ago

Well, dummy, if you had spent some time reading history instead of making a gazillion dollars playing fantasy roles you might know a bit more of life. There is absolutely no excuse for NOT knowing about the Tulsa massacre. Blaming your own ignorance on other people is lame. But, hey, isn’t that what the WOKE crowd is all about?

Christopher Mcgrath
2 years ago
Reply to  greybeard

If Americans are as bad at history as they are with geography, they need to be educated.

Kevin
Kevin
2 years ago

History books are all propaganda anyway. Brainwashing our kids is not new

Patriot
Patriot
2 years ago
Reply to  Kevin

History is history.. good, bad and ugly. History doesn’t change.

Christopher Mcgrath
2 years ago
Reply to  Kevin

Do you include the Bible in that remark?

Gerry
Gerry
2 years ago

I knew about black wall street? KKK (Democrats) were responsible. Maybe Tom should read history from people other than Howard Zinn? But, by all means, keep working and voting for the Democrats.

MHP
MHP
2 years ago
Reply to  Gerry

We have a feeble man in the White House who was best friends with the KKK Grand puba and now he uses the Tulsa massacre in his speeches for his own purposes – I guess to make himself look like he’s not a racist. I don’t buy his crap!

Patriot
Patriot
2 years ago
Reply to  Gerry

Seriously

Laxmom
Laxmom
2 years ago

Pedo tom…stfu..nobody cares what you think. Dirty, disgusting excuse for a human being.

Nine Island Girl
Nine Island Girl
2 years ago
Reply to  Laxmom

Wouldn’t it be great if it came out that he was visiting Epstein’s island?
That would make my day.

Christopher Mcgrath
2 years ago
Reply to  Laxmom

You seem to care, very much!

jp halegan
jp halegan
2 years ago

Tom? Do you want us to stop paying for your movies? Persist and we will stop.

Wharf Rat
Wharf Rat
2 years ago

Dick

Richard P. McArthur
2 years ago

He’s right. Our people must know how we’ve treated each other, to avoid doing it again.

Patriot
Patriot
2 years ago

Democrats have treated American citizens poorly and the radical Democrats keep doing it. Different mindset than when I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s. So sad.

Lawrence Buckland
Lawrence Buckland
2 years ago
Reply to  Patriot

Paying attention to people in the “make believe” industry about reality is showing how “unawake” one is. And these people are memorizing lines and acting them out. Schizophrenia is not having a sense of reality. There is many incidents of the predator and the prey already outlined in history, often highlighted in movies, as well: “Driving Miss Daisy” shows much hypocrisy without having in your face divisiveness, as a political agenda. It’s all about the narrative, sadly. Reason is not “woke”. It is the foundation of coming together with calm, respectful discourse, looking for the other person’s viewpoint, both wearing the other’s shoes and getting away from one’s staid paradigms.

Getting out if the box means setting aside one’s belief(s) to venture into new territory. Testing your beliefs is healthy. If they can stand testing, they can only be strengthened.

Allen
Allen
2 years ago

F Tom Hanks. Deserves no more of my time. Anyone who listens to celebrities should examine their life.

Ish
Ish
2 years ago

Forest is just another dumb ass who made a funny movie. He was led by the hand through every scene telling him what to do and when. So he gets rich. Now he has a platform to try to PREACH to the rest of us WHITE PEOPLE, how to live. What a shallow person, who wants to go back 100 years and who knows what the situation was then. These BIG BLUE CITIES look like they are killing a lot of their own kind!!

Fred
Fred
2 years ago

He does know it was the K K K that drove the massacre and that means the Dems.

oldedude
oldedude
2 years ago

Tom Hanks is a very good actor. I enjoy his movies a lot. Tom Hanks is best at uttering other people’s words. He should stop there, his original thoughts don’t hold up as well.

Anna Piwarski
Anna Piwarski
2 years ago

Stay to your forest gump. Do not embarrass yourself more that already did before.

Kimberly
Kimberly
2 years ago

I learned about it in school many years ago as part of high school history. We weren’t taught that all white people in the US were to blame. It will probably be forced on students. Parents should insure that that they good history books so they can counter the false propaganda. It was a sad and never be repeated, if the left is not careful it will be repeated in all the large minority communities mainly in our big cities. This and CRT will cause a resurgence of groups like the former KKK. Us white folks with good black friends may have help defend them!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

The Africans who sold their own people into slavery, never get any criticism, I think that is something missing in history curriculum and that is a huge factor in the slavery issue! The Dutch were dominant at that time in the shipping lanes, and they too were a big part in the slavery issue! Africans sold by their own people, to the Dutch, were without learning, they were terrified, I don’t condone slavery at all, it’s just that pre- Obama, our race relations were better, and the Chicago Domestic-terrorists like Bill Ayers, and Bernadine Dorn, Eric Holder, all very close friends with Obama, who by the way was put through Harvard by Bill Ayers father, we’re just waiting for their boy Obama to get there so they could continue their destruction of America!
Those people aren’t any good for anyone, they are out to destroy America because they are Communists as was their parents! Back in the early to mid 70’s the weather-underground, Ayers/Dorn protested Vietnam by blowing up federal buildings! The SLA-Gun Runner-Holder and his gang robbed banks and Kidnapped Patricia Hearst! They are pushing the narrative that white men are terrorists, well that is as idiotic as it gets! They should be kicked out of America, but Republicans are too set in their ways, too sophisticated, too comfortable to fight for our Country and that’s what the real terrorists are counting on! We Better Wake-Up!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

When you tell the truth, you sit in timeout, I lived through those times, i’m not wrong, some things you don’t forget!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

Divide and conquer is Marxism, which is the same old theory going back to Meat-Head, and Archie Bunker! These leftist apologizing for being born white, are so pathetic, if they only knew how stupid they look and sound, they would do the world a favor and do a swan dive into concrete!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

Obama got to Springsteen, and Hanks, maybe they swing from both trees, I don’t know nor care, but it’s bad for America! I burned all of my Springsteen albums and cd’s and I really liked Tom Hanks, but I’m an adult, I know how to work the channel changer!

Last edited 2 years ago by Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

Hurry up and approve my comment you communist bastards! I’m an America Born Citizen, Taxpayer, and this site is suppressing my 1st Amendment right to speak my mind!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

There are too many traitors in this Country! Communism is alive and well in many other Countries, keep it up and We are going to go on a hunting trip, called CWII.

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

Americanupdate.com
Now that’s an ironic name for an American site!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

Obama’s mother was a communist cultist with jungle fever! She worked for Timothy Geitners communist father! Bill Ayers father, a communist put obama through harvard! It’s easy to see what’s going on here! Some idiot allowed Ayers to rewrite our children’s learning curriculum! You can’t make this stuff up!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

Hey you’re Honor, they did it again, make it $10 million!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

As an American Born Citizen and Brave enough to fight and if it happens die fighting, I’m sick and totally ashamed of my fellow Americans sitting by passively watching the Chicago Anarchists trying one more time to destroy free America! Take your trashy asses to Cuba or Russia, America is free and by God I will kill to make it stay free!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

How does it feel to be Communists with the name Americanupdate.com?

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

You people are trash! Communist Trash, you all belong in prison, the DNC is a Communist Criminal Organization taking money from Soros from his offshore bank account full of his drug money!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

It appears like this site is very protective of Obama, Stanley, Geitner, and Ayers!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

Africans sold other Africans to the Dutch who brought them to America!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

Africans are til this very day enslaving their own people in the diamond mines! Why doesn’t Ayers/Dorn/Obama/and Holder go there and run their mouths?

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

I fail to see what laws any of my comments broke!

Robert Waddell
Robert Waddell
2 years ago

Hunter Biden uses the N word and nothing happens to him!