Tulsa officials have established a commission to recommend reparations for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, which devastated a Black community. This panel will review a 2023 city report and a 2001 state commission report, both of which advocated for financial reparations—a stance opposed by Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum.
The newly formed Beyond Apology Commission, announced by Bynum, will first create a housing equity program for survivors, descendants, and residents of north Tulsa. Only two known survivors remain alive. Bynum acknowledged the challenges of addressing reparations and noted that the city's Beyond Apology report revealed that residents view reparations as more than just cash payments. Recommendations include enhanced educational opportunities, housing, economic development, healthcare improvements, and land restitution.
The massacre, a long-suppressed racial violence incident, resulted in the deaths of up to 300 Black residents and the destruction of the Greenwood District, also known as Black Wall Street.
City Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper, whose district includes Greenwood, commended Bynum for establishing the commission. She supports financial payments, emphasizing that reparations can include various forms of value, such as scholarships and land.
State Rep. Monroe Nichols, chair of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus and a Tulsa mayoral candidate, called the committee's formation a step towards addressing historical wrongs. He highlighted the importance of focusing on areas like homeownership and education.
The commission will consist of 13 members, including one appointed by the mayor and one by Hall-Harper, with the remaining members recommended by community members and city staff.
The committee's creation coincides with ongoing searches for massacre victims' graves, which began in 2020. Recently, remains exhumed during the search were identified for the first time. Additionally, the Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit by the last two known survivors seeking restitution, but their attorneys have requested reconsideration and an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice under the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2007.
Link: AP News
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