Justice Department Unveils Harrowing Details of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, Acknowledges Orchestrated Racial Violence in Long-Awaited Report

Washington — A comprehensive report released by the Justice Department on Friday delineates the grim details of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, an orchestrated attack on the Greenwood district, often referred to as Black Wall Street. Nearly 10,000 white residents decimated the flourishing Black community, leaving an indelible scar on Tulsa, Oklahoma, with repercussions felt a century later.

The report described the massacre as a distinct “civil rights crime,” unparalleled in scale and brutality. Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, stated the violence involved, “murder, arson, and looting, with survivors confined to internment camps,” marking a calculated ruination of a once thriving community.

Highlighting the depth of the investigation, officials noted that the report builds on firsthand survivor accounts, academic studies, and legal documents to deliver what the department considers its “first thorough reckoning” of the violence. Unlike preliminary reviews, this examination unequivocally acknowledges the targeted racial violence instigated by the white populace.

The incident, triggered by an unsubstantiated allegation against 19-year-old Dick Rowland, escalated after he was accused of assaulting Sarah Page, a 17-year-old white elevator operator. The accusation rapidly spiraled into mob violence, with demands for Rowland’s lynching. However, the report clarifies that the violence exceeded spontaneous chaos, revealing a premeditated assault by organized groups, including deputized civilians and National Guard members.

On the early morning of June 1, a signaled attack commenced a ruthless campaign against Greenwood. Armed mobs, bolstered by law enforcement support, invaded the district, unleashing a level of destruction that saw entire blocks razed, businesses looted, and residents forcibly displaced or killed.

The scope of violence was vast, with an estimated 300 Black Tulsans dead and hundreds more injured. Many victims were hurriedly buried in unmarked graves or never accounted for, as stated by the report. The hasty and concealed disposal of bodies complicates exact death tolls, a grim testament to the massacre’s chaos and aftermath.

Reconstruction efforts were further stifled by municipal policies, according to the report. Despite initial promises for aid, the city implemented stringent building codes and other bureaucratic hurdles, effectively hampering the recovery of the Greenwood district.

The narrative of the massacre, as recounted by survivors and historians, speaks to ongoing attempts to recover and recognize the full extent of the trauma endured. Survivors, even a century later, have sought justice and reparation for the widespread destruction and loss, although legal avenues have provided little solace, dismissing claims against city officials for their alleged complicity and exploitation of the tragedy.

Justice for the massacre remains elusive, with the report acknowledging the challenge of prosecuting acts committed so long in the past. However, the careful documentation and issuance of the report may offer a foundation for historical acknowledgment and future discourse on racial violence and reconciliation.

During a congressional meeting, Viola Fletcher, a 110-year-old survivor, poignantly recalled the harrowing events, underscoring the enduring pain and the importance of remembering such atrocities, “I have lived through the massacre every day. Our country may forget this history, but I cannot.”

This detailed examination by the Justice Department not only revisits the horrors of the Tulsa Race Massacre but also strives to set a precedent for addressing racial injustices and laying groundwork for community healing and understanding, even as the direct pursuit of legal justice may no longer be feasible.