Tulsa was not always defined by tragedy. A little more than a century ago, the city in Oklahoma, USA, was bustling with black culture, businesses, family pride, and a sense of possibility. It was a place where African Americans' success was not a dream but a daily reality. Then came a night that changed everything. The Tulsa Race Massacre tore through the community, destroying lives, homes, and futures in a matter of hours. For decades, the story was pushed aside, spoken about in whispers rather than history books. Yet every day brings a renewed need to remember it.

Documentaries now play an essential role in helping the masses witness, understand, and honor the people whose plight must not be forgotten. And these three picks are the best of the best when it comes to serving the purpose. 

This History Channel documentary stands out for its immersive retelling of how Tulsa's Greenland rose and fell. Through powerful archival footage and witness accounts, Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre reconstructs the rhythm of daily life in what was once known as Black Wall Street, a thriving hub built by Black entrepreneurs whose success symbolized hope and independence. The film takes its time showing the beauty, aspirations, and pride that defined the community before chaos came knocking.

As the story moves toward the night of the massacre, the tone darkens, confronting viewers with the staggering scale of destruction and loss. What makes the documentary especially compelling is its connection to modern Tulsa, tracing the continuing search for mass graves and the fight for acknowledgement and justice.

Top 10 Critically Acclaimed and Award Winning Documentaries on Netflix to Watch in 2025

The next documentary on this list brings the same atrocious history of Tulsa to life by embracing animation and other innovative storytelling forms.

CNN’s Dreamland blends animation, newsreels, and commentary to bring the past into sharp sight. It highlights the joy and brilliance of Greenwood’s cultural scene while also capturing the resentment that grew unchecked in the nearby white communities. The documentary does not rush the emotional aspect and allows viewers to understand the tension that grew long before the violence erupted.

The film then shifts to the aftermath, mapping how the erasure of wealth, homes, and businesses set back generations of Black families. Today’s small group of Greenwood businesses serves as a stark reminder of what once existed and what was deliberately taken away from them. Through voices calling for moral responsibility and justice, Dreamland underscores the idea that memory without action is not enough.

This PBS documentary takes a deeply personal approach, following journalist DeNeen L. Brown as she speaks with descendants, survivors’ families, and historians. It captures the emotional burden of remembering an event the world once tried to hide and the trauma of communities left to rebuild without recognition or reparations. Beyond recounting the massacre, the film examines the long struggle for accountability, from failed lawsuits to the ongoing search for unmarked graves.

Clearly, remembering Tulsa is not simply an act of history. It is a reminder of the lives, dreams, and futures that were crushed, and the strength of a community that refused to disappear. As documentaries grow not only as tools of truth but as a mainstream form of entertainment, with platforms such as Netflix housing tons of them, the demand for accountability only grows louder. And as long as people continue to watch, talk, and question, the story of Tulsa will never be buried again.

Best Documentaries of 2025: How Many Can You Watch on Netflix?

Which of these Tulsa documentaries will you first check out? Let us know in the comments.