1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Survivors Revive Reparations Lawsuit: Okl…

Following a pivotal turn in a long-standing legal battle, the Oklahoma Supreme Court has agreed to hear oral arguments regarding the potential revival of a reparations lawsuit brought forth by the two remaining survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. This decision injects new hope into the quest for justice nearly a century after one of the most devastating racial violence episodes in U.S. history. Advertisment Historical Injustice Revisited In 1921, the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma, known as ‘Black Wall Street’ for its affluent African American community, was decimated by a white mob, leaving hundreds dead and thousands homeless. Viola Fletcher and Lessie Benningfield Randle, the last known survivors, alongside their legal team, led by attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, have been fighting for reparations, citing the city and state’s complicity in the massacre. Their lawsuit, initially dismissed by a Tulsa County district judge, hinges on Oklahoma’s public nuisance law, arguing that the massacre’s effects persist for them and the Greenwood community. A Legal Battle Against Time Advertisment The case’s dismissal last July was a significant setback for the survivors and their advocates. However, Solomon-Simmons’ statement highlights the urgency and finality of their appeal: “There is nowhere else for us to...