- With us now is Pastor Eric Costanzo,

lead pastor of South Tulsa Baptist.

Pastor Costanzo, thank youso much for being with us.

"The Oklahoman" published a survey,

the results of the survey that found 83%

of mostly Oklahomans never learned

about the Tulsa Race Massacre in school.

I know you grew up in Tulsa.

Pastor Costanzo, why is this little known

in American history?

- Yeah, I think that'sabsolutely accurate,

and that was my own personal experience.

I didn't learn about it

even though I grew up here my whole life

until I was in seminary.

I didn't even learn about itin college here in the state,

the seminary was out of state.

I think it's a combinationof a few things.

I think that for many years

people didn't want to remember,

whether because there was guilt,

or there was some sense of

"Will we be held accountable?"

I think that even our AfricanAmerican community has said

that for many years many of them

didn't wanna talk about it.

They didn't wanna relive it.

They didn't want their children to grow up

having that kind of animosity

back towards the white community.

And so I think that it justsort of got swept under the rug,

and for many reasons

nobody really talked about it much

except just in maybe a passing comment.

- And now what's led you to get involved

with the centennial planning?

And how is the communityrallying around this event?

- You know, over two years ago

I was actually invited bythe centennial commission

to be a part of the planning.

And really, the commission had,

they did a great job of involving

lots of community organizations,

but also several churches.

And so I got to represent my church,

and meet lots of other great pastors,

and other church leadersrepresenting their churches.

And for the vast majority of the time

everything has been focusedon looking to the future.

And once the commemoration is over,

which the commemoration's very important,

but once the commemoration's over,

that we would have betterrelationships across the city,

and especially among our churches

so that we can model unity

in our community in a Christlike manner,

which the church oughta be able

to lead the way in doing that.

- As Eric mentioned in hispackage, Pastor Costanzo,

white citizens were deputizedto participate in that mob.

I was reading alsotoday that black Tulsans

and their mistrust of policeactually kinda stems from that.

In response, President Bidentoday called on Americans

to recommit to the work of rooting out

systemic racism across our country.

What do you think he means by that,

and what lessons do youhope Americans will learn

as we find out more about what happened

100 years ago this past Sunday?

- Well, I certainly wouldn't presume

to speak for theintentions of the president

and his comments,

but I think that certainly whathas been beneficial for me,

especially in the two-plus years

of getting to know ourAfrican American pastors

and churches more, what it looks like

to sit in a position of dialogue,

and to listen and to learn,

but also to have a safe spaceto dialogue, which we've had.

And we've been able to do that,

and discuss difficult topicslike justice and racism,

and on all levels to be able to have

that kinda posture whereit's not hostile environment

to talk about volatile topics.

And so I think certainly if we can foster

more of that communicationthat involves listening,

which seems to be a lostart for so many people,

then the church will be playinga positive role in all this.

- Yeah, absolutely.

Past Eric Costanzo, lead pastor

at South Tulsa Baptist Church

in Tulsa, Oklahoma, thank you so much

for joining us this evening,

it's great to have you.

- Thanks for having me.