Black History Knowledge — June 1

What happened on this day. These are the June 1 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.

1921 — The Tulsa Race Massacre destroys Greenwood

On June 1, 1921, white mobs continued their attack on the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, one of the most prosperous Black communities in the United States. The massacre destroyed homes, businesses, churches, newspapers, and generational wealth, making it one of the clearest examples of racial violence being used to attack Black success.

1942 — Black Marines begin entering the U.S. Marine Corps

On June 1, 1942, the Marine Corps began recruiting African American Marines after generations of exclusion. These men trained under segregation at Montford Point, but their service helped break one of the military’s major color barriers.

1956 — Alabama moves to shut down NAACP organizing

On June 1, 1956, Alabama Attorney General John Patterson obtained a court order banning most NAACP activity in the state. The order blocked fundraising, dues collection, and recruitment, showing how Southern officials used the courts to weaken civil rights organizing.