Mayor Monroe Nichols signs executive order designating Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day

Tulsa, Oklahoma - Mayor Monroe Nichols has declared June 1 a city holiday to commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre amid a reinvigorated push for justice and reparations.

Mayor Monroe Nichols signed an executive order designating June 1 as Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day.
Mayor Monroe Nichols signed an executive order designating June 1 as Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day.  © IMAGO / Imagn Images

Nichols signed an executive order on Sunday designating Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day in remembrance of the lives lost in one of the US' worst incidents of racial terror.

"For too long, this tragic event was erased from public discourse, leaving generations without an understanding of its impact on Tulsa and our nation," the mayor said in a statement.

"It’s left to this generation of Tulsans to find a united path forward that acknowledges our history, addresses the harm caused by it and moves us forward together."

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The Tulsa Race Massacre saw law enforcement officers and deputized civilians launch a brutal white-supremacist attack on Tulsa's Greenwood District, known as Black Wall Street.

Over May 31 and June 1, 1921, at least 300 Black residents were slaughtered and 35 square blocks of the neighborhood destroyed – with the city swiftly moving to cover up the crimes.

Attorney for Tulsa Race Massacre survivors "grateful" for first steps

Attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons has called on the City of Tulsa to embrace a comprehensive plan for reparations.
Attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons has called on the City of Tulsa to embrace a comprehensive plan for reparations.  © IMAGO / Imagn Images

Survivors Viola Ford Fletcher and Lessie Benningfield Randle, both 110 years old, have fought for decades for acknowledgement and compensation for the horrors they endured as children and in the years since.

Their attorney, Damario Solomon-Simmons, hailed the announcement of the new city holiday as a first step toward that goal.

"I am deeply grateful to Mayor Monroe Nichols for taking the critical first step in implementing Project Greenwood by designating June 1 as an official city holiday in remembrance of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre," Solomon-Simmons shared in a statement on social media.

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"This historic move acknowledges the pain and suffering of the survivors and descendants of Greenwood, marking a significant moment of recognition and reflection for the entire community," Solomon-Simmons continued.

"It’s a meaningful act of healing that sets the stage for a broader conversation about justice and reparations."

Project Greenwood lays out comprehensive plan for repair

Tulsa Race Massacre survivors Viola Ford Fletcher (r.) and Lessie Benningfield Randle are fighting for truth and reparations.
Tulsa Race Massacre survivors Viola Ford Fletcher (r.) and Lessie Benningfield Randle are fighting for truth and reparations.  © IMAGO / Imagn Images

Justice advocates are now calling on the City of Tulsa to take the next step toward justice.

"While the City Holiday is a significant and symbolic step, we are eager to see the full enactment of Project Greenwood, which includes tangible reparations for the survivors and descendants of this tragedy," Solomon-Simmons wrote.

The Project Greenwood plan, unveiled last month, also demands:

  • Immediate compensation for Fletcher and Randle

  • Direct cash payments for known properties that were destroyed or seized, as well as to the families of known murder victims
  • City of Tulsa employment and contracting preference for verified massacre descendants
  • A scholarship program for verified massacre descendants seeking higher education in Tulsa
  • Immunity from all City of Tulsa taxes, fees, and utility expenses for verified massacre descendants
  • Return of any land the City of Tulsa unlawfully acquired after the massacre to descendant families, or fair compensation
  • Construction of a Level 1 trauma center hospital in North Tulsa, to be named after massacre victim Dr. A.C. Jackson
  • Release of all City of Tulsa records related to the massacre
  • A criminal investigation concerning the cases of known murder victims

Nichols is due to announce additional measures related to the Tulsa Race Massacre on April 6.

Cover photo: IMAGO / Imagn Images

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