Black Wall Street – The Dreamland
A Musical Play by Khareem Jamal, one of the creative minds behind Black Heroes in the Hall of Fame
Black Wall Street – The Dreamland is a powerful new musical by visionary playwright and cultural restorer Khareem Jamal, whose acclaimed productions – including Black Heroes in the Hall of Fame, The Voices of Black Folk, and The Abolitionist – have reshaped how Black history is staged and remembered. This production brings to life one of the most extraordinary yet tragically overlooked chapters in world history: the rise and destruction of Greenwood, Tulsa’s all-Black district known as “Black Wall Street.”
Set in 1921 Oklahoma, the play chronicles the triumphs and trials of a community built by formerly enslaved people and their descendants- men and women who defied the odds to become lawyers, bankers, surgeons, entrepreneurs, and educators. Greenwood was a beacon of Black excellence, a place where jazz spilled from theatres, businesses thrived, and children were raised with pride and purpose. So remarkable was its success that Booker T. Washington famously called it “the Negro Wall Street of America – a veritable Monte Carlo.”
But Greenwood’s prosperity stirred resentment in neighbouring white Tulsa. The play explores the toxic legacy of slavery, the persistence of racial stereotypes, and the simmering envy that culminated in one of the most devastating acts of racial violence in U.S. history. On May 31st, 1921, a single, innocent encounter between Dick Rowland, a young Black bootblack, and Sarah Page, a white elevator operator, became the spark for a massacre that razed the Dreamland to the ground.
Through original music composed by Khareem Jamal and Lloyd Wade, blending Negro spirituals, jazz, poetic narrative, and heart-rending storytelling, Black Wall Street – The Dreamland transforms historical trauma into a soaring theatrical experience. It is a story of resilience, resistance, and reclamation – one that moves audiences from heartbreak to hope, and leaves them with a renewed sense of possibility.
Why This Production Matters- This is more than theatre and entertainment, this is edutainment!
- Educational Impact: Few people know the full story of Black Wall Street. This production offers a compelling, accessible way to engage with history.
- Cultural Restoration: It honours the legacy of achievement and challenges dominant narratives of victimhood.
- Community Engagement: The play is designed to tour nationally, with workshops, talkbacks, and youth outreach embedded into its rollout.
- Artistic Excellence: With a proven creative team and a track record of successful productions, this is a high-calibre investment in Black historical storytelling.