TULSA, Okla — City leaders broke ground for the new location of the Rudisill Regional Library.
For the fourth time since 1917, the Greenwood District is getting a library. The Rudisill Regional Library is currently located at Pine, and Harvard is moving south a half a mile.
Damali Wilson has strong ties to the location.
"My grandmother was actually here when the massacre actually took place,” said Wilson.
Knowing the library would have a Geneology room prompted Wilson to attend the groundbreaking. Wilson said the new addition to the library could help her uncover important information.
"Now she left and came back, so it's trying to track down and trace. Was she here? How long was she here?” Wilson said.
The $21 million facility will also have podcast areas and multiple conference rooms. Library staff said the genealogy space is just one of many tributes to the Tulsa Race Massacre.
However, people near the original location will lose the communal space. Donnell Hawkins lives in the area and says he's happy the new location is at least close by.
"I'm glad it’s not going west Tulsa, south Tulsa, it's still north Tulsa, so just hopefully they keep that historic value even though were going up the street,” said Hawkins
Tulsa Library said the new location is one of multiple Tulsa libraries that will move in the future. Charles Harper says the community needs this move.
"You know it's overdue, much needed and overdue, but the time is now,” Harper said.
Staff said they expect the new Rudisill Library to be open in late 2025.
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