TULSA, Okla. — The City of Tulsa, in partnership with Intermountain Forensics and the Greenwood Cultural Center, will host a second round of free Community Engagement Genealogy Workshops from April 25 to April 27, 2025.
The workshops will take place at the Greenwood Cultural Center, 322 N. Greenwood Ave., with pre-registration now open for interested participants.
The initiative is part of the city’s broader effort to empower residents—particularly those in North Tulsa, Greenwood, and descendants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre—to explore their family histories using genealogical tools and expert guidance. The program is supported through the Emmett Till Cold Case Grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Tulsa Genealogy Workshops return
Participants will receive hands-on support from experienced genealogists and will learn how to build and expand family trees, use research tools like Ancestry Institution (courtesy of Ancestry.com), and access key historical resources.
Friday and Saturday workshops will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with an optional Sunday workday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Due to the sensitive nature of genetic genealogy, attendance is limited to those who complete the required registration at greenwoodculturalcenter.org/genealogy-workshop. Space is limited and residents are encouraged to sign up early.
The workshops also align with the City’s ongoing investigation into the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and its connection to unmarked graves found at Oaklawn Cemetery.
Notably, the previous mayoral administration under Republican G.T. Bynum faced widespread criticism from descendants of Massacre survivors. An independent documentary highlighted a lack of transparency from the city.
As part of this work, researchers have identified new surnames and geographic locations of interest that may help descendants trace their lineage. Those details are available online at cityoftulsa.org/genealogyproject.
Cold case grant includes genetic testing funding for Tulsa Police
In addition to supporting public workshops, the Emmett Till Cold Case Grant also funds specialized training for the Tulsa Police Department on using genetic genealogy to solve cold cases and prevent future cases from going unsolved.
In addition, the grant supports a forthcoming exhibit at the Greenwood Cultural Center focused on the city’s forensic and historical efforts.
To ensure accessibility, the City of Tulsa’s website offers translation support in more than 100 languages via the “Select Language” dropdown menu on each page.
For more information, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/genealogyproject.
Related Stories:
- “Oaklawn” documentary depicts Tulsa’s 1921 mass graves search
- Descendants “exhausted” after finding 35 bodies, bullet wound from Tulsa mass grave
- C.L. Daniel Identified in Tulsa Mass Grave, Highlighting 1921 Race Massacre’s Lingering Impact