Leaders Club Brings Black Wall Street to YMCA

The Freehold Borough YMCA Community Center became the Greenwood section of Tulsa, OK for a few hours on Thursday, Feb. 17.

In 1921, Greenwood was home to 600 thriving businesses owned and operated by African-Americans and became known as “Black Wall Street.” A conflict between the African-American and white communities in Tulsa led to a riot that began May 31, 1921. Planes dropped firebombs on Greenwood, according to eyewitness accounts of the time, and a large section of the district was destroyed by fire. 

The YMCA Leaders Club recreated the happier times of “Black Wall Street.” Club members designed their own businesses, such as Fresh Nails 2000 and Nessay’s Biscuits. The children gave a short performance as proprietors and customers of “Black Wall Street,” demonstrating how the citizens of Greenwood patronized one another’s stores and created a bustling community.

The YMCA Leaders Club members who participated in the “Black Wall Street” presentation were Marques Adams, 14; DeeDee Bond, 11; Kim Bryant, 10; Ned Bryant, 8; Lauren Cordeno, 18; club President Alexis Evans, 17; Shalonda Hickman, 11; Nessay Long, 13; Ka’sheema Marable, 11; Katelyn Ortiz, 15; club Secretary Chloe Williams, 17; and Shaquan Worilds, 15. Shavonda Hickman, assistant outreach director for the YMCA and the club’s advisor, also performed in the skit.

After the YMCA Leaders Club’s performance, Shavonda Hickman played archival footage of Greenwood from 1921 for audience members, including Urban SociaLites CEO Ayasha Roberson, of Manalapan. Roberson helped publicize the “Black Wall Street” presentation as well as other events held at the Freehold Borough YMCA Community Center in February in honor of Black History Month.

“I believe each one of the kids that participated in the performance have dreams and aspirations of becoming the future Black Wall Street of Freehold Borough,” Roberson said.