Democrats are criticizing Donald Trump’s decision to hold his first campaign rally since coronavirus lockdowns began on a holiday commemorating the effective end of slavery in the United States, in a city with a violent and racist past.
The Trump campaign announced on Wednesday that it would hold a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 19 — a holiday known as Juneteenth or Black Independence Day. The date marks the anniversary of Union Gen. Gordon Granger’s announcement to enslaved black people in Texas, the last state to emancipate, that they had been officially freed.
Tulsa is an odd choice for multiple reasons. Oklahoma is not expected to be a competitive state in 2020 — typically a consideration when deciding where campaign rallies will be held. Trump carried the state by a 36-point margin four years ago.
But Tulsa also has an ugly racist past. Continue reading.