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TULSA, Okla. — For the first time, Tulsa officials have not only named a 1921 victim in their massacre investigation but put a face to his story—thanks to DNA. George Melvin Gillespie’s remains, buried in a simple wooden coffin for more than a century, now anchor a renewed effort to uncover truth and justice. Tulsa officials also identified additional massacre victims.
“We have five individuals at Oaklawn Cemetery who were victims of multiple gunshot wounds, and another who was a victim of one gunshot wound… What this tells us is that we’re in the right spot, and we’re getting closer and closer to the truth,” Mayor Monroe Nichols said at yesterday’s press conference.
These discoveries, officials said, underscore the need to return to Oaklawn Cemetery for further excavation later this year.
Second Identification from Oaklawn in Massacre Investigation
Using DNA and genetic genealogy, researchers identified the remains labeled Burial 180 as George Melvin Gillespie, a middle-aged Black man born in 1881. They buried him in a simple wooden coffin and found no visible trauma to his body. Though his cause of death is unknown, officials say he could still be a victim, as the first confirmed case also showed no trauma.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to put a face to a name. This is groundbreaking, and we’re just so incredibly thankful for his family for their engagement with this work,” Mayor Nichols said.
Records show Gillispie was last documented alive in December 1920 in Payne County, Oklahoma. By 1924, his wife had remarried and listed him as deceased. His descendants in Oklahoma City have been notified of the findings.
City officials are now working with Gillispie’s family to determine next steps for reburial or memorialization.
New Massacre Victim Identified Through Records
Officials also confirmed James Goings [Goins, or Gowens] as a victim of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. His burial site has not yet been determined. However, archival records from the Veterans Administration include a letter written shortly after the massacre. That letter states James Goings was killed during the violence. A second letter from his sister in the 1930s corroborated the date of death as June 1, 1921.
The city is asking for help from anyone connected to the Goings, Goins, or Gowens family names. They are especially interested in people with roots in Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Those individuals are encouraged to contact the city’s genealogy team.
Additional Victims Named Through Research
“These individuals were not just buried—they were discarded. “Yet every piece of evidence recovered brings us closer to the truth, to dignity, and to justice,” said Dr. Kary Stackelbeck. She is Oklahoma’s state archaeologist and leads the city’s search for mass graves from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
Stackelbeck leads the archaeological team at Oak Lawn Cemetery. Researchers there are documenting burials and supervising excavations. They are also working closely with forensic anthropologists to uncover and analyze remains believed to be massacre victims.
Experts working with the city also confirmed four more victims using death certificates, Red Cross reports, and probate records:
- John White, who died from gunshot wounds on June 1, 1921, and was buried at Oaklawn Cemetery, according to a 1925 death certificate.
- Ella Houston, also known as Ella Morris or Morrison, was listed in a Red Cross report as a massacre casualty. Her death certificate cited septicemia from a miscarriage.
- James Miller, also known as Joe or Joseph, was identified as a massacre victim in a 1921 probate record. His birth name was James Askew.
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Renewed Massacre Investigation Excavation Planned for 2025
As the investigation advances, archaeologists and forensic teams are calling on the public for help. They are especially urging descendants of massacre victims to participate in DNA and genealogical testing.
“Confirmation of the identities of these individuals… requires the support of potential descendants from across the country and here in Tulsa,” Stackelbeck said.
This effort could confirm the identities of the buried. Stackelbeck stresses that community involvement is crucial to linking remains with families and restoring history.
“We propose to expand our excavation block… to more fully encompass the space between our previous excavations and the western fence line,” she added. Her team plans to excavate near earlier digs and the western fence line, where more victims may be buried.
If the budget is approved by Tulsa city councilors, Stackelbeck’s team plans to return to Oaklawn Cemetery this year. They’ll focus on the cemetery’s southwest section, where new trauma evidence emerged during the 2024 fieldwork. They believe more massacre victims may still be buried in that area.
Mayor Nichols is in support of the expansion. “We must return to Oaklawn Cemetery, because we cannot, in good faith, turn our backs on the evidence and the work that’s gotten us to this point,” Mayor Nichols expressed.
City officials are continuing their dual-track investigation involving both field excavations and genealogical work. They urge the public to provide any family records, oral histories, or DNA connections that could aid in further identifications.
For more information about the massacre investigation or to submit relevant family history, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/1921Graves.
So sad what happened in Oklahoma! Inhumane!