OWN’s Six-Part Docuseries, “Rebuilding Black Wall Street,” Debuts in September
OWN’S SIX-PART DOCUSERIES, “REBUILDING BLACK WALL STREET,” DEBUTS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 AT 9PM ET/PT
Morris Chestnut Set to Host Series Spotlighting a Resilient Tulsa Community Rebuilding Stronger a Century After the 1921 Tulsa Massacre
https://youtu.be/hTKz7QLSh4U
OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network will premiere a six-part docuseries, “Rebuilding Black Wall Street,” hosted by Morris Chestnut (The Best Man, Rosewood, Boyz n the Hood), who will trace the century-long impact of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre and chronicle the resilient community rebuilding on Friday, September 29 at 9PM ET/8PM CST.
Tulsa’s Greenwood District, better known as Black Wall Street where Black business leaders, homeowners and civic leaders thrived. On May 31, 1921, and into the next day, a mob destroyed that district in what has been called the single most horrific incident of racial terrorism since slavery. An estimated 300 people were killed, more than 1,200 homes destroyed, and at least 60 businesses and community buildings burned to the ground.
Rebuilding Black Wall Street
Today, the Greenwood District is a community rebuilding, a journey of strength and joy examined in this unique uplifting renovation docuseries. Over the course of six episodes, Chestnut and build teams, led by designers Jon Pierre and Mary Tjon-Joe-Pin (Two Steps Home), guide viewers through Greenwood’s rich history and the personal journeys of those featured – many of whom are the descendants of original Black Wall Street residents. As new businesses and projects progress, viewers will experience the physical and emotional challenges that come with large-scale construction and celebrate the promise of Greenwood’s future.
Featured stories:
The Birthing Center: Tulsa Race Massacre descendant Montika Collins hopes to create North Tulsa’s only natural birthing center and return the tradition of midwifery to the Greenwood District. Designers Jon Pierre and Mary dive in to help.
The Family House: Tulsa massacre descendant Rachel Walker preserves the home passed down to her through generations with help from the nonprofit 1256 Movement. The history of home ownership in Tulsa is explored as the design team renovates her kitchen.
The Transition Home: Tulsa’s complex history lays the groundwork for massacre descendant D’Marria Monday to build a haven for recently incarcerated women reintegrating back into society, with the design team adding special touches to the home.
The Farm: As part of an ongoing effort to change the food desert of North Tulsa, Rodney and Sheila Clark’s family farm gets a major upgrade from guest expert Ron Finley, while Jon Pierre and Mary put their farming skills to work.
The Mansion: Special guest Ananda Lewis helps Jon Pierre and Mary upgrade the historic Skyline Mansion, which serves as a studio for local rap group Fire in Little Africa. Educators take steps to restore Black history studies in Tulsa.
The Restaurant: Former NBA star Kevin Johnson opens Fixins Soul Kitchen in Tulsa, and three survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre attend, along with the design team. Tech innovator Lael Alexander offers his inventions to community leaders.
The host of “Rebuilding Black Wall Street,” Morris Chestnut has enjoyed tremendous critical and commercial success as a film and television star for more than two decades. He is best known for his memorable roles in films such as “Boyz n the Hood” and the commercially and critically acclaimed “The Best Man” and its successful sequel, “The Best Man Holiday.” This year he earned his second NAACP Image Award reprising the role of “Lance Sullivan” in the Peacock limited series, “The Best Man: Final Chapters.” Starring in FOX’s series, “Rosewood” and other credits in his illustrious career resulted in the honor of receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Motion Picture category in 2022.
This series is a joint effort between Warner Bros. Discovery, GroupM Motion Entertainment and Domino’s, a participant in GroupM’s Diverse Voices Accelerator, a positive impact initiative that supports creators, writers, producers and directors from traditionally underrepresented groups in entertainment.
Fans can engage with the network (@OWNTV) and the series on social using #RebulidingBlackWallStreet.
“Rebuilding Black Wall Street” is produced by Sunwise Media with Ri-Karlo Handy and Karra Duncan, a Tulsa Race Massacre descendent, serving as executive producers. Morris Chestnut also serves as executive producer through his MC8 Productions, as well as Greenwood Creative Studios.
About OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey’s heart and creative instincts inform the brand and the magnetism of the channel. OWN is a leading destination for premium scripted and unscripted programming from today’s most innovative storytellers. OWN connects with its audience wherever they are, inspiring conversation among a global community of like-minded viewers on social media and beyond. Launched on January 1, 2011, OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Warner Bros. Discovery. The venture also includes the award-winning digital platform Oprah.com. Access OWN anytime on http://WatchOWN.tv or across mobile devices and connected TVs.
About Sunwise Media
Sunwise Media, Inc. is a visionary multi-platform media company founded in 2018 by Emmy-nominated producer Ri-Karlo Handy and advertising industry veteran Elverage Allen, amassing over 50+ years of combined experience in production and advertising sales for the African American consumer market. Handy boasts an impressive portfolio including acclaimed projects like “Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward,” “Saints & Sinners,” and “Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is,” adding to the company’s foundation of excellence. As a Certified Minority Business Enterprise, Sunwise Media pioneers culturally relevant content, exemplified by projects such as “Unsolved History,” reimagining historical narratives; “Mentoring Kings,” empowering young men of color; and “Money Moves Podcast Powered by Greenwood,” promoting financial literacy in collaboration with Greenwood’s digital banking platform. Sunwise Media’s mission is to bridge content and branding, creating socially responsible, culturally-connected content that resonates with the diverse multicultural market. By investing in multi-generational, evergreen programming and events, Sunwise Media aims to be a leading content creator serving the demand for authentic representation across all media platforms and shaping the future of inclusive media.
