A Smile for JohnThe article appeared on page two, but the impact of the short piece announcing the upcoming speech by W. E. B. Dubois was similar to a front-page headline. The prospect of hosting the person at the forefront of the equality movement thrilled many who considered this to be a validation of the importance of Black Wall Street on the national stage. Others, who preferred the more passive approach of Booker T. Washington, were intrigued by the controversial scholar and looked forward to the debate. A third group viewed inviting Dubois as an incendiary move that might trigger an extreme reaction from White Tulsa. While these folks comprised the minority view, they were the most vocal, and anxious to express their thoughts to Andrew Smitherman outside the offices of The Tulsa Star
