Plans for a large rally for President Donald Trump's reelection campaign at the BOK Center in Tulsa on Saturday are causing backlash from some area leaders, including District 2 Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith, who says the ongoing pandemic isn’t her only concern.
"We definitely have this demarcation between north and south and the African American community and the rest of the community," Keith said. "We’re really trying to work through those issues in a positive way, and I don’t think that having this event here helps in that effort.
The rally was initially planned for Friday, which is Juneteenth, the day that commemorates the end of slavery in the South after the Civil War. It was moved to the following day as pressure over its timing mounted.
Tulsa is also the site of the race massacre that destroyed Black Wall Street nearly a century ago, and the nation is still reeling over the death of George Floyd that sparked widespread protests against police brutality.
Tulsa County Health Department Director Bruce Dart also wishes the rally would be further delayed due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, telling the Tulsa World, "it’s an honor for Tulsa to have a sitting president want to come and visit… but not during a pandemic."
