The court upheld a district court’s decision, dampening hopes for reparations.
On Wednesday, the Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit filed by the last two surviving victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. This decision, which upheld a ruling from a district court judge in Tulsa last year, has dashed hopes for reparations and compensation for the survivors and advocates for racial justice. The court determined that while the plaintiffs’ claims were legitimate, they did not fall within the scope of the state’s public nuisance statute.
The lawsuit sought compensation from the City of Tulsa and other entities for the devastation caused by a white mob that destroyed the prosperous Black district of Greenwood, known as Black Wall Street. On May 31 and June 1, 1921, the mob, including some individuals deputized by authorities, looted and burned down the district, killing as many as 300 Black residents. Thousands were displaced, and many survivors were forced into internment camps managed by the National Guard. Today, little remains of the once-thriving district, except for fragments of a church basement and burned bricks.
The plaintiffs, Viola Fletcher and Lessie Benningfield Randle, who are both over 100 years old, filed the lawsuit in 2020, seeking justice for the atrocities they and their community endured. Their attorney, Damario Solomon-Simmons, had hoped that the case would bring justice and reparations for the survivors during their lifetimes. Unfortunately, the court’s decision has blocked those efforts.
A third plaintiff, Hughes Van Ellis, passed away last year at the age of 102, further underscoring the urgency of the case for those who have lived to witness the ongoing battle for justice. Messages left with both the City of Tulsa and the survivors’ attorney were not immediately returned after the court’s ruling.
