Oklahoma's National Register of Historic Places

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ID Number RS100002547
Historic Name VERNON A.M.E. CHURCH
Description of Significance IN 2005, A NATIONAL PARK SERVICE REPORT CONCLUDED THAT THE TULSA MASSACRE WAS OF "SUPREME NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE, PERHAPS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RACE RIOT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES." MOST OF THE HISTORIC RESOURCES DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH GREENWOOD WERE DESTROYED DURING THE MASSACRES AND MANY OF THE RESOURCES FROM THE PERIOD OF POST-MASSACRE RECONSTRUCTION WERE DESTROYED BY URBAN RENEWAL EFFORTS OF THE 1970S. VERNON A.M.E. CHURCH REMAINS A TESTIMONY TO THE RESILIENCE OF THE GREENWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD. VERNON AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AT THE STATE LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE UNDER CRITERIA A, ETHNIC HERITAGE: BLACK, BASED ON ITS ROLE IN UNDERSTANDING RACE RELATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER LEGAL SEGREGATION; FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR ITS REPRESENTATION OF THE INITIATION AND GROWTH OF THE SEGREGATED COMMUNITY WITHIN THE CITY OF TULSA AS WELL AS RECONSTRUCTION AFTER THE 1921 MASSACRE; AND FINALLY FOR SOCIAL HISTORY FOR ITS DEPICTION OF RACIAL INTOLERANCE AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICANS. CRITERIA CONSIDERATION A IS APPLICABLE AS THIS IS A RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION. LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER 08/17/2018.
Current Name SAME
Address 311 NORTH GREENWOOD AVENUE
City TULSA
County TULSA
Lot
Block
Current Section
Township
Range
Type BUILDING
Historic Function RELIGIOUS: RELIGIOUS FACILITY
Current Function RELIGIOUS: RELIGIOUS FACILITY
Area Significance 1 ETHNIC HERITAGE: BLACK, SOCIAL HISTORY
Area Significance 2 COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Date Prepared JANUARY 2018
Year Built 1919-1928
Original Site YES
Architect/Builder
Architectural Style CLASSICAL REVIVAL
Roof Material METAL
Wall Material BRICK, CAST STONE, METAL
Window Material WOOD
Door Material WOOD, ALUMINUM
Decorative Details NEON BLADE SIGN IN MIDDLE OF FACADE, ABOVE MAIN ENTRANCE
Condition EXCELLENT
Comments PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1914-1953, 1954-1964 SIGNIFICANT DATES: 1914, 1921, 1925, 1959, 1964
Restricted