Dick Rowland facts for kids

Dick Rowland, also known as "Diamond Dick Rowland," was an African-American teenager who worked shining shoes. He was born around 1902. In May 1921, when he was 19 years old, an event involving him led to the terrible Tulsa race massacre.

The incident happened with Sarah Page, a 17-year-old white girl who worked as an elevator operator. She later said she didn't want to press charges. Reports about what happened are different, but it seems Rowland tripped in her elevator while going to a separate bathroom. A white store clerk then reported the event, which led to Rowland's arrest.

Dick Rowland's Early Life

Dick Rowland's birth name was Jimmie Jones. We don't know exactly where he was born. By 1908, he and his two sisters were orphans living in Vinita, Oklahoma. An African-American woman named Damie Ford took care of Jones.

Around 1909, Damie Ford and Jimmie Jones moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma. They joined Ford's family, who were called the Rolands. Jimmie Jones eventually took "Roland" as his last name, which was later spelled "Rowland." He also chose "Dick" as his first name because he liked it.

Dick Rowland went to schools in Tulsa that were segregated. This meant Black students and white students went to different schools. One of the schools he attended was Booker T. Washington High School.

He stopped going to high school to work shining shoes. His job was at a shoe shine shop on Main Street in downtown Tulsa. This shop was owned by white people and mostly served white customers.

Life in Segregated Tulsa

Tulsa was a segregated city, which meant there were strict rules separating Black and white people. These rules were part of what were called Jim Crow laws. For example, Black people were not allowed to use the same bathrooms as white people.

At the shoe shine shop where Dick Rowland worked, there was no separate bathroom for Black employees. So, the owner arranged for Black workers to use a special "Colored" restroom. This bathroom was on the top floor of the Drexel Building, which was nearby.

What Happened After the Tulsa Race Massacre?

Most historians believe that Dick Rowland left Tulsa after the massacre. Some reports say that the Tulsa Sheriff, Willard McCullough, took Rowland to Kansas City. However, it's possible Rowland secretly came back to Tulsa in the fall of 1921.

There's also a story that Rowland might have died in a dock explosion in Oregon in the 1960s. But his name isn't on the list of people who died in that explosion.

Dick Rowland's story is remembered in an opera about the Tulsa race massacre. This opera was created in 2004 by a composer named Lindsay Davidson.