美国有线新闻 CNN 美国塔尔萨种族大屠杀100周年

This year Memorial Day coincides with another historic date.

今年的阵亡将士纪念日恰逢另一个具历史意义的日子。

One of America's worst outbreaks of racial violence occurred on May 31st, 1921. It's known as the Tulsa Race Massacre¹ or the Tulsa Race Riot.

美国最严重的种族暴力事件之一发生在1921年5月31日。该事件被称为塔尔萨种族大屠杀或塔尔萨种族骚乱。

Historians believe it started with an accusation² against a black man, a confrontation³ between black and white mobs,

历史学家认为，这起事件始于对一名黑人的指控，黑人和白人暴徒之间的对抗，

the fatal shooting of a white protestor and then widespread destruction of an African American neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

一名白人抗议者被枪杀，之后俄克拉荷马州塔尔萨市一个非裔美国人社区遭到严重破坏。

There's a lot of mystery around it. No one knows who actually fired the first shot.

该事件存在很多谜团。没有人知道究竟是谁开的第一枪。

According to Encyclopedia⁴ Britannica, estimates of the number killed range from 30 to 300, mostly African Americans.

据《大英百科全书》估计，这起事件导致的死亡人数在30至300人之间，其中大多数是非裔美国人。

Here's CNN Contributor Chris James.

以下是CNN撰稿人克里斯·詹姆斯带来的报道。

Hey Carl. I've come to Tulsa, Oklahoma. A city that's been reckoning with their own painful history of racial violence.

你好，卡尔。我来到了俄克拉何马州塔尔萨市。这座城市一直在反思自己种族暴力的痛苦历史。

Right here on the ground where I'm standing⁵, once stood the neighborhood known as "Black Wall Street".

我现在所站的这个地方，曾经矗立着被称为“黑色华尔街”的街区。

One hundred years ago, this was a thriving and prosperous black community called the Greenwood District

一百年前，这里是一个繁荣兴盛的黑人社区，名为格林伍德区，

with movie theaters, stores, doctors, schools and even a pilot who owned his own plane.

拥有电影院、商店、医生、学校，甚至还有一名拥有私人飞机的飞行员。

Keep in mind during this time, it was illegal for black people and white people to freely shop and live in the same places.

记住，在这一时期，黑人与白人在同一个地方自由购物和生活是违法行为。

They weren't even allowed to use the same water fountains.

他们甚至不能使用同一个饮水机。

Tensions between residents reached a tipping point after an incident inside an elevator.

一起电梯事故发生后，居民之间的紧张关系到达了临界点。

When an unconfirmed rumor⁶ began to spread that a 19-year-old black man tried to hurt a 17-year-old white girl.

一个未经证实的谣言开始传播，称一名19岁黑人男子试图伤害一名17岁白人女孩。

On May 31st, 1921, a group of black and white men confronted each other outside the Tulsa Courthouse.

1921年5月31日，多名黑人和白人在塔尔萨法院外对峙。

After the firing of gunshots, pure and utter mayhem ensued.

枪声响起后，纯粹且彻底的混乱接踵而至。

A mob of angry white residents began to loot and burn black businesses throughout the Greenwood District.

一群愤怒的白人居民开始在格林伍德区各处抢劫和焚烧黑人企业。

In the span of 24 hours, 35 square blocks were burned and over 1,200 houses were destroyed.

24小时内，35个方形街区被烧毁，1200多间房屋被破坏。

It's unclear how many people were killed but some historians have the number as high as 300 with thousands left homeless.

目前仍不清楚到底有多少人被杀，但一些历史学家认为死亡人数可能高达300人，另有数千人无家可归。

This Monday will mark the 100-year anniversary of what's now known as the Tulsa Race Massacre.

周一将是现在被称为塔尔萨种族大屠杀的100周年纪念日。

It's one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history and for decades it was one of the least talked about in news reports and public-school textbooks.

这是美国历史上最严重的种族暴力事件之一，也是数十年来新闻报道和公立学校教科书中谈论最少的事件之一。

But now the city of Tulsa has decided⁷ to face its dark past to ensure a brighter future for all.

但现在，塔尔萨市决定面对其黑暗的过去，以确保所有人都能拥有更加光明的未来。

1 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

2 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

3 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

4 encyclopedia   

n.百科全书

参考例句：

• The encyclopedia fell to the floor with a thud.那本百科全书砰的一声掉到地上。
• Geoff is a walking encyclopedia.He knows about everything.杰夫是个活百科全书，他什么都懂。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 rumor   

n.谣言，谣传，传说

参考例句：

• The rumor has been traced back to a bad man.那谣言经追查是个坏人造的。
• The rumor has taken air.谣言流传开了。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。