United States of America eSeries: They called it Black Wall Street.

They called it Black Wall Street.

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May 28, 2021

Stephen Collinson and Caitlin Hu

'At any rate, I came for ice cream'

An African-American man with a camera walks amid skeletons of iron beds in a burned-out block after the Tulsa Race Massacre in June 1921.

They called it Black Wall Street.

The 35-block span of African-American owned businesses in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was a rare haven for Black Americans, many descendants of slaves, who fled the racism of the Deep South. Lawyers, doctors, and business people thrived in the enclave which became a state of mind as much as a place -- until May 31, 1921.

On a day of infamy only now being fully acknowledged in the American mainstream, a 10,000-strong white mob burned down Black Wall Street and the oasis of aspiration it represented. More than 300 people died in the massacre, more than 1,200 homes were destroyed and 10,000 people were left homeless, according to the Red Cross. A search for mass graves launched in 2018 has so far yielded 10 bodies.

Yet the horror — uncomfortable for future White generations to admit — never became part of the US national psyche like turning points in the Civil Rights era, for instance. Joe Biden, who owes his presidency to African-American voters, will try to redress that historic wrong when he visits the city on Tuesday. He will arrive at a moment in US history when the country's underlying racial fault lines are still being felt, 100 years on from the Tulsa massacre. It's only a few days since the first anniversary of George Floyd's death under a policeman's knee. In Washington, party leaders are struggling to lock in a related compromise on policing reform.

Biden is not the only recent president to visit Tulsa. A year ago, ex-President Donald Trump chose the city as the venue for his first rally after the beginning of the pandemic. He then caused outrage by initially scheduling the rally for June 19 — known as Juneteenth, the holiday that marks the end of slavery —and was forced to change the date. (The event ultimately became the first of his many super spreader rallies that worsened the toll of Covid-19.) The calendar gaffe, however, underlined how blind many American leaders have been to the painful history lying right in front of them.

A woman walks past a "Black Wall Street" in Tulsa on June 19, 2020

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32 years at the White House

After four decades, William "Buddy" Carter -- one of the longest serving White House butlers -- is set to retire at the end of the week, three people familiar with the matter tell CNN's Kate Bennett.

His career began 47 years ago at Blair House, the presidential guest house across the street from the White House, where he served as part of the staff for 15 years before heading to the White House Executive Residence as one of just six butlers. Carter would remain a treasured member of the residence staff, assisting presidents and first ladies and their families from Ronald Reagan's administration until today.

Carter, like many loyal White House staff in the residence, is beloved by former first families. He was one of two White House residence staff members who Melania Trump took with her on her government jet to the funeral in Texas of former first lady Barbara Bush in 2018. Carter and Bush were close, and the Bush family made sure to invite him to the solemn occasion.

When Donald Trump was president, Trump once held up the start of the annual Congressional Ball at the White House, just so he could be present to sing "Happy Birthday" to Carter as a surprise cake was brought out on the State Floor, a person who attended the event told CNN.

During Bill Clinton's tenure, Carter was often the first staff member the former President saw each day, as Carter would bring Clinton his morning coffee and newspaper.

A first family's unique living situation in the White House breeds a special relationship with the 90 or so members of the residence staff -- particularly the butlers, who assist them with preparing and serving meals, tidying up, keeping them on task and on time, and fulfilling requests at all times, day and night -- and above all else, doing so with discretion.

"The history that Buddy has witnessed through the years is astonishing," said one of the people, who worked with Carter for several years at the White House. "His eye for knowing how the White House works is unparalleled -- no one knows it better than Buddy."

'At any rate, I came for ice cream'

At a brief stop for ice cream at Cleveland's Honey Hut, President Joe Biden told reporters he was surprised Republicans bitterly oppose the formation of a January 6th Commission -- but the shock couldn't turn him off a summer treat. Holding a cone of chocolate chocolate chip ice cream, Biden told reporters, "I can't imagine anyone voting against establishing a commission on the greatest assault since the Civil War on the Capitol."

"But at any rate, I came for ice cream," he said.

Thanks for making it through the week with us. Meanwhile is taking a long weekend, and will be back in your inbox on Wednesday.

On Friday, European Union Defense Ministers arrive for a meeting in Lisbon. Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan inaugurates a mosque in central Istanbul overlooking Gezi Park, on the anniversary of the country's 2013 protests. French President Emmanuel Macron visits South Africa.

On Saturday, protesters in Sao Paulo call for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's resignation. Argentina is expected to ease Covid-19 restrictions after a strict Covid-19 "circuit-breaker" lockdown. And it's the Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea at in Porto, Portugal.

On Sunday, the veterans' motorcycle rally "Rolling to Remember" rolls through Washington.

And Monday is Memorial Day, when Americans honor their war dead.