Dreamland Theater Marker

by Lee Roy Chapman

03/03/2011

David Crosby and Graham Nash have been scheduled to open the Woody Guthrie Festival at the Cain’s Ballroom July 13 of this year. Below are some lyrics to Graham Nash’s song “Dirty Little Secret‘ about the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot.

Headlines printed in the daily news
Awake the sleeping rage inside.
Disarm the people, keep em all confused.
Kill before they turn the tide.
Dirty Little Secrets going round
Whispering from ear to ear.
Burning down the very heart of town.
Nobody shed a tear
Dirty Little Secret, Dirty Little Secret.

The plaque pictured above is located at 127 N. Greenwood in Tulsa. It marks the spot where the original Dreamland Theatre once stood. The theater seated 750 people and was used as a venue for live performance and silent films, and served as a community gathering spot. It was destroyed by arson during the 1921 riot.