A Life Dedicated to Justice
Viola Ford Fletcher, one of the final living survivors of the devastating 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has passed away at the remarkable age of 111. Mrs. Fletcher dedicated her later life to a relentless pursuit of justice and reparations for the brutal attack by a white mob on Tulsa's prosperous Black community, Greenwood.
Witness to History
At just seven years old during the two-day massacre, Fletcher witnessed unimaginable horrors. She later documented these experiences in her powerful 2023 memoir, 'Don't Let Them Bury My Story', providing a first-hand account of the widespread destruction and violence. The attack, which destroyed the area famously known as 'Black Wall Street', resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Black residents and remained largely unacknowledged for decades.
It wasn't until 1997 that a state commission formally investigated the violence, bringing the tragedy back into public consciousness. Fletcher's advocacy was pivotal in this modern-day reckoning. In a landmark moment, she testified before Congress in 2021, bringing her story to the highest levels of American government.
The Ongoing Fight for Reparations
Mrs. Fletcher was also a key plaintiff in a major lawsuit seeking reparations for the massacre's survivors and their descendants. However, this legal battle faced a significant setback when the Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed the case in June 2024. Despite this, her fight ignited a renewed push for accountability.
In a significant development, the US Justice Department has now opened a cold-case investigation into the Tulsa Race Massacre, a move that offers a renewed, though belated, hope for official recognition and justice. The legacy of Viola Ford Fletcher ensures that the story of Greenwood and the victims of 1921 will not be forgotten.
