Lawyers representing the last surviving participants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre in Oklahoma are urging the state’s Supreme Court to reconsider a case dismissed last month. Viola Fletcher, 110, and Lessie Benningfield Randle, 109, are seeking justice for the horrific event that left up to 300 black individuals dead and over 1,200 homes and businesses destroyed in the Greenwood District, famously known as Black Wall Street.
In their plea for a rehearing, the women are challenging the court’s 8-1 decision in favor of a district court judge in Tulsa who initially dismissed the case last year. They are highlighting the failure of both Oklahoma and the United States to address the atrocities committed against the black community during the massacre.
Attorney Damario Solomon Simmons is also calling for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the Tulsa massacre under the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2007. This act allows for the reopening of cold cases involving violent crimes against black individuals that occurred before 1970. However, the Department of Justice has declined to comment on the matter.
The lawsuit filed by the survivors intends to hold the city of Tulsa and other entities accountable for the destruction caused during the massacre. The legal team argues that Tulsa has benefited financially and reputationally from exploiting the historic legacy of Black Wall Street, suggesting that any monetary gains made by the city from promoting Greenwood should be allocated to a compensation fund for victims and their descendants.
The survivors’ attorneys are striving to address the ongoing injustices stemming from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by advocating for restitution and accountability from those responsible for the violence and destruction. Their efforts are not only towards seeking justice for the victims of the past but also paving the way for healing and reparations for the affected communities today.