President Biden will meet privately on Tuesday with surviving members of the 1921 massacre in Greenwood, the African-American community in Tulsa, Okla., that was destroyed by a white mob 100 years ago, helping to shine a spotlight on one of the worst outbreaks of racist violence in American history as he strives to make racial equity and justice central themes of his presidency. In remarks during his visit, Mr. Biden is expected to highlight steps his administration is taking to help financially struggling minority communities and to begin to close the wealth gap between Black and white people in the United States, according to administration officials. Mr. Biden will not announce a plan to cancel student debt, which disproportionately affects Black students. The N.A.A.C.P. and other civil rights groups have criticized the administration for not taking that step, saying it is one of the biggest obstacles holding Black people back from sharing in the wealth of other Americans.

Source: New York Times June 01, 2021 09:01 UTC