Hidden history of the Tulsa Race Massacre: An exploration of the impact of a place-based professional development on Oklahoma teachers

Abstract

The story of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 was hidden from history for generations. In the three years leading up to the centennial of the event, this story came to light for more and more citizens. Tulsa area teachers, many of whom did not know about the Tulsa Race Massacre, felt compelled to teach this history to their students. Because teachers cannot teach what they do not know, several attended a workshop designed to equip teachers with strategies and resources to teach about this hidden historical event.

This qualitative collective case study examined how Tulsa-area teachers made changes, both personally and professionally, after their participation in a three-day, place-based Tulsa Race Massacre professional development. Participants learned this history through field trips, recordings from survivors, counternarratives, and participation in learning strategies that they could later use with their students. Participant stories of teaching about the Tulsa's hidden history revealed grappling with their issues of identity, struggling to teach sensitive and tough historical content, and engaging in difficult conversations. Additionally, findings indicated that effective professional development can be a conduit for not only professional growth, but also an illumination of one's identity and catalyst for personal change.