Tulsa Race Massacre will be taught in all Oklahoma schools

TULSA, Okla. — Changes are coming to the curriculum in Oklahoma’s schools regarding the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

A pilot program about the Massacre started in Tulsa Schools back in 2018 and is now available to teachers across the state.

The announcement was made in a joint conference on Wednesday by many lawmakers and Tulsa Public Schools board members including Sen. James Lankford, State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, Tulsa Superintendent Dr. Deborah Gist, and state Sen. Kevin Matthews.

Students will be taught about the massacre in their U.S. history and Oklahoma history classes.

Teachers will receive training and enhanced resources so they can feel comfortable teaching the material.

The changes in the classroom will come in the fall, just months away from the 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

The State Department says the new curriculum is just a framework and districts can create or share the curricula based around that framework.