a vast improvement to what the state had had, but it was not sufficient to catch up to the need. He failed to get voter support for the $50 million in necessary highway improvements. Although the Socialist Party was no longer a political threat, it advocated strikes. In 1919, telephone workers struck in Drumright, Oklahoma, and a massive strike of coal miners took place in eastern Oklahoma. Governor Robertson, in his position as Commander-in-Chief, declared martial law in these regions. The Bank Guaranty Program, which Governor Haskell had instituted, collapsed following Oklahoma's recession in 1920, resulting in the closure of many state banks. Robertson's administration struggled with the economic effects of a downturn in the oil industry, and nationwide recession, and the poor economy added to racial tensions in the state. The postwar period was one of the worst in race relations in Oklahoma's history. To help confront this issue, Robertson created a commission on racial relations composed of both white and black members, but it did little to improve things. In the early morning hours of June 1, 1921, a race riot broke out in Tulsa, where white mobs looted and burned most of Greenwood, the prosperous center of the African-American community in the city. During the 16 hours of rioting, an estimated 300 people were killed (mostly black Republicans), more than 800 people were admitted to local hospitals with injuries, thousands of blacks were left homeless, as 35 city blocks with 1,256 residences were destroyed by fire, and property damage totaled $1.8 million (nearly $17 million as of 2001 after adjustment for inflation). Robertson finally regained control in the city by declaring martial law and sending in the Oklahoma National Guard to police the area and end the chaos. The governor condemned actions by the city and Sheriff's Office and ordered a Grand Jury to investigate, but no one was prosecuted for the deaths, injuries, or damage. An estimated 3,000 blacks fled the city at the time. The riot affected Oklahoma for generations to come, promoting nativism, stimulating growth of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan for the first time in Oklahoma, and suppressing blacks' hopes for their lives in the state. To make matters worse politically, under Robertson's guard the Democrats lost control of the Oklahoma Legislature. Following the 1920 midterm elections, the Republicans gained control of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Also, the U.S. presidency shifted