The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, also known as the Black Wall Street Massacre, was a devastating event in American history that left hundreds dead and thousands displaced. Two of the last known survivors, Viola Fletcher and Lessie Benningfield Randle, are now calling for justice and reparations from the city of Tulsa and the federal government.
Fletcher and Randle were children during the massacre, which occurred on May 31st and June 1st, 1921. White mobs attacked the Greenwood District, a thriving Black community in Tulsa that was known as Black Wall Street due to its economic prosperity. The violence resulted in the destruction of over 1200 homes and businesses, as well as the deaths of an estimated 300 people.
Despite these atrocities, no indictments were issued for crimes against humanity committed during the massacre. Many insurance claims remained unpaid or were paid for only pennies on the dollar. Thousands of Black Tulsans were forced to leave their homes and live in fear.
In recent years, Fletcher and Randle have been fighting a legal battle for restitution under Oklahoma's public nuisance law. However, their lawsuit was dismissed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court last month. The women are now calling on President Biden and the Department of Justice to open an investigation into the massacre under the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2007.
Fletcher and Randle argue that Tulsa has benefited from the historic fame of Black Wall Street, and any revenue generated from promoting Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Greenwood Rising History Center should be set aside for survivors and their descendants. They are also calling on the city to make restitution for the harm caused by the massacre.
The two women have lived through a dark chapter in American history, but they are not giving up their fight for justice. Their courage and determination serve as a reminder of the importance of acknowledging and addressing past wrongs.
