TULSA, Okla.–Newly elected Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols signed an executive order Sunday officially designating June 1 as Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day.
For decades community members of Greenwood have honored the anniversary of the city-sanctioned racial domestic terror attack, when a deputized White mob ransacked, burned, bombed and massacred upwards of 300 Black men, women and children between the hours of May 31 and June 1, 1921.
Mayor Nichols’ order makes the commemoration an official act of the city.
“The annual day will serve as a time for residents, schools, businesses, and community organizations to participate in observances, activities, and discussions that reflect the significance of the day and forever honor the memory of those who lost their lives in the Massacre,” Mayor Nichols posted on Facebook Sunday.
Reparations package
Since 2001, a state report on the Massacre calling for reparations has collected dust, despite Tulsa city police officers deputizing thousands of White Tulsans in 1921 to “get you a gun a get a n*gger”, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society.
The creation of a day of observance comes just over a month after Greenwood community leaders unveiled a package of reparations proposals they want the city to enact. Among the list of proposals included designating June 1 an official city holiday. Other proposals include building a trauma level one hospital in north Tulsa, direct payments to survivors, business contract preferences for descendants, scholarships and more.
Mayor Nichols previously stated he plans to implement significant elements of the plan in partnership with Justice for Greenwood and other community stakeholders.
“This announcement is just the first step in my plan to pave a path forward towards healing and unity. For too long, this tragic event was erased from public discourse, leaving generations without an understanding of its impact on Tulsa and our nation,” Mayor Nichols stated.
Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day is June 1
As Oklahoma Gov. Stitt and U.S. President Donald Trump continue to dismantle efforts to increase diversity, equity and inclusion, Tulsa’s first Black mayor is bringing the city’s racial inequities to the forefront.
“It is now 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,” Mayor Nichols said.
The two last known living survivors of the Massacre continue to push for reparations and reconciliation. At 110 years old each, “mother” Viola Ford Fletcher and “mother” Lessie Benningfield Randle have gone through court hearings at the district, state and Oklahoma Supreme Court, only to be denied each time.
Now, as the mayor continues to roll out plans for reparative justice, some survivors and descendants of Greenwood survivors see the city’s efforts as their last chance for justice.
“I also recognize the advocates and community members across Tulsa who have been seeking justice for years,” Mayor Nichols said. “Through their work and with the commitment made today, the road to repair is underway, and I will be sharing my full framework around this work in the coming weeks.”
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