Lizzo delivered a powerful show at the BOK Center in Tulsa Saturday night. It was her first time ever performing in the state.
During her The Special 2our set, the singer specifically honored Black Wall Street. She stressed the importance of celebrating the inspiration Black Wall Street provides.
“History is meant to be learned from. I don’t want to talk about the tragedy because we know about the tragedy, can we just talk about the prosperity of Black Wall Street?” Lizzo said, referring to the historic Greenwood District of Tulsa. “That is the result of when you let people just be themselves, when you let people be a community, when you let them mind they business.”
She added that the work of marginalized communities continues to be negatively affected by interference from those wanting to limit their rights and reach.
“And we’re seeing the exact same thing happening today, marginalized communities are being tampered with, our rights are being taken away, it’s still happening, 1920 to 2023 is still happening, still woke Tulsa!” she continued.
Much of the coverage of Black Wall Street in popular culture focuses on the violent destruction of the thriving Black community in 1921. That’s especially true for TV and film retellings of Black Wall Street’s story. The individual stories of financial and social achievement by its inhabitants, and the Black Wall Street community as a whole, aren’t as regularly highlighted or explored as its destruction.
Many have taken to social media to praise Lizzo for calling out the success of the community versus solely highlighting the trauma and tragedy. She has also received props for using her reach as an entertainer to speak out for marginalized communities and the injustices they continue to face.
Lizzo’s The Special 2our continues through July 30.