Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Tulsa: How Black Wall Street and Small Businesses Like Tee's Barber Shop Keep the Dream Alive

Why Tulsa's Greenwood District Small Businesses Still Matter on MLK Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is often marked by quotes, speeches, and moments we learned about in school. But at its core, Dr. King's message wasn't just about words. It was about action, dignity, and economic justice.

He believed strong communities are built when people are empowered to work, own, serve, and lead where they live.

That belief is still alive in Tulsa today—sometimes in the loudest places, and sometimes in the quietest ones.

Places like Black Wall Street | Tulsa Library
Places like Tee's Barbershop on Greenwood | Tulsa OK

Dr. King's Vision for Economic Dignity: A Message Still Relevant to Tulsa Businesses

The King Center mirrors what MLK stood for: mission possible. He spoke often about economic empowerment. In the later years of his life, his focus expanded to include poverty, labor, and opportunity.

He believed:

• Dignity comes from meaningful work

• Ownership builds stability

• Small businesses strengthen communities

• Economic justice is inseparable from civil rights

This is why places like https://www.visittulsa.com/plan-your-visit/districts/downtown-tulsa/historic-greenwood-district/ mattered so deeply to his vision, and they still matter today.

Black Wall Street wasn't just a place.
It was a model.

Tulsa's Black Wall Street: More Than History—It's Holy Ground

https://historicblackwallstreet.com/black-wall-street-tulsas-greenwood-district-and-the-legacy-of-economic-power/ represents exactly what Dr. King believed in: people building opportunity and stability together, despite barriers.

Even after devastation, displacement, and generational loss, Greenwood endured.

To many who live and work there, it isn't just historic.
It's sacred.

And within that sacred space, small businesses quietly carry the torch—still today, still in Tulsa.

Tee's Barber Shop Tulsa: A Living Legacy on Greenwood Avenue

Tee's Barber Shop isn't polished or trendy, and that's exactly what makes it powerful.

My mom has served every Tuesday for over 18 years at the Tulsa Dream Center, and that's how she discovered this hidden gem and its amazing owner. For decades, Willie Sells has cut hair in Greenwood. First under mentors who believed in him, trained him, and gave him a chance. When businesses were forced to relocate due to eminent domain, Tee's didn't disappear.

It adapted. It stayed.

Inside the shop, you'll find:

• Worn barber chairs that have held generations

• Photos of family, past barbers, and longtime clients

• Coffee always brewing

• Conversation flowing freely

This is what Dr. King meant when he talked about community institutions.

Barber shops weren't just places to get a haircut. They were (and still are) places of:

• Mentorship

• Dialogue

• Encouragement

• Dignity

And I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there.

A Tulsa MLK Day Parade Memory That Changed Everything

In 1999, I worked in training and human resources for a company headquartered in downtown Tulsa with more than 700 employees. Our staff was approximately 85% African American, and honoring Dr. King wasn't optional—it was essential for morale.

We didn't honor MLK Day quietly for show.
We honored it together, as one.

That year, our company participated in the PARADE | mlktulsa, and we showed up in a big way. We marched. We celebrated. We stood shoulder to shoulder downtown, recognizing not just a man, but a movement rooted in dignity, opportunity, and unity.

What stands out most to me now is my son.

He was nine years old at the time.
A white kid.
On a Razor scooter.
Rolling proudly through that Tulsa parade.

He loved it.

From that day forward, he loved Dr. King, not because of a textbook or a quote he memorized, but because he felt the joy, the unity, and the purpose of that day. He experienced community, not division.

That moment shaped him.
And it shaped me.

It reminded me that legacy is learned through experience, not explanation.

Why Supporting Tulsa Small Businesses on MLK Day Still Matters

Dr. King believed in collective action: people from different backgrounds coming together around shared purpose.

That spirit is still alive in Tulsa.

It's alive in the PARADE | mlktulsa
It's alive on Black Wall Street.
And it's alive in places like Tee's Barber Shop, where showing up every day is an act of service.

Supporting small businesses in Greenwood today isn't about nostalgia.
It's about continuing the work.

It's about choosing where your dollars go, and remembering that every visit to a local shop, every referral, every conversation matters.

Small Business Sunday Spotlight: Tee's Barber Shop Tulsa

This week, as we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we also honor https://www.bestprosintown.com/ok/tulsa/tees-barber-shop-/, not just as a business, but as a symbol of resilience, mentorship, and community strength.

Supporting local isn't trendy.
It's intentional.

And it's one of the most tangible ways we can live out Dr. King's legacy today, right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

A Question for You This MLK Day

So as we approach MLK Day, I'd love to hear from you:

What does Martin Luther King Jr. Day mean to you?
Do you have a dream you're still holding onto?
Or is there a local business, place, or person in Tulsa who represents hope and legacy in your life?

Share it with us.

Because Dr. King's dream wasn't meant to live in history books. It was meant to be lived out, right where we are.

Right here.
Right now.
In Tulsa.