Starting with the construction of the new building in 1916, the $92,000 project would finally be complete in 1921. The congregation celebrated by holding their first service in the new building on April 4th, 1921. Two months later their new church would be reduced to rubble because of an enraged white community. The Tulsa Race Riot on June 1, 1921 destroyed dozens of businesses, and hundreds of homes and churches including Mount Zion.  Also at least 300 people, almost all African American, were killed in the riot.  Despite the riot, the church congregation was determined to rebuild Mount Zion. After years of fundraising, and holding services in various locales, the church was finally rebuilt on the site of the 1921 structure.

Tulsa's leading black educational institution in 1921, Booker T. Washington High School earned a reputation for high-caliber teaching, academic rigor and standards of excellence for its students. Founded in 1913 with a class of 14 students and a staff of two teachers, the school was named after Booker T. Washington, an American pioneer in education.

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The high school escaped destruction during the Tulsa race riot of 1921. Immediately after the riot, the American Red Cross used the building as its headquarters for relief activities.

Booker T. Washington was one of the first Tulsa public high schools to offer Advanced Placement courses and began offering the International Baccalaureate program in 1983.

Each letter has meaning and honors the past, present, & future of Black Wall Street and the Tulsa community.   The mural tells a story within a story and is designed to look like a post card.

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Bill White and Chris Rogers designed the mural and  commissioned Kansas City artist Donald "Scribe" Ross to create it.  

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The Black Wall Street Mural is located directly across from the Greenwood Cultural Center.