Summary
Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest known survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre, passed away at the age of 111. She was seven years old when the massacre occurred in 1921 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 300 residents of the Greenwood neighborhood. Fletcher and others campaigned for recognition and reparations for the massacre, but their legal case was dismissed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Key Facts
- Viola Ford Fletcher was seven years old during the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921.
- The massacre took place in the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
- An estimated 300 residents died, and more than 1,200 homes, businesses, and churches were destroyed.
- The violence began following an accusation against a black teenager named Dick Rowland.
- Fletcher spent her later years advocating for recognition and reparations for the massacre victims.
- The Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit seeking reparations.
- The city of Tulsa announced a $105 million reparations package to address the massacre's impact.
- Fletcher was remembered for her persistent efforts to seek justice and raise awareness of the massacre.
