A.J. Smitherman
1883–1961
Publisher of the Tulsa Star, Greenwood's fearless Black newspaper.
📖Biography
Andrew Jackson Smitherman published the Tulsa Star, a Black newspaper that championed self-reliance, urged Black Tulsans to arm themselves against lynching, and held the community's leaders accountable. During the 1921 massacre the Star's offices were destroyed, and Smitherman was indicted for inciting the riot after encouraging armed defense of the community. He fled, eventually settling in Buffalo, New York, where he published another newspaper; the charges were never pursued.
Key Achievements
Published the Tulsa Star, a leading Black newspaper
Fearlessly advocated armed self-defense against lynching
Indicted after the massacre for defending his community; never tried
Continued newspaper publishing in Buffalo, New York
Legacy & Impact
Smitherman's journalism gave Greenwood a powerful voice and documented Black Wall Street's confidence in its own words.