'The attorney representing Tulsa Race Massacre survivors stresses the desire for genuine accountability,' as the Department of Justice inspects the location.
Despite their passing, there's an inherent desire for information, stated attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons during a press conference. Representatives from the Department of Justice (DOJ) have engaged with the massacre's survivors and their kin in the past two days, Solomon-Simmons disclosed. The DOJ has declared its intention to initiate a civil rights review of the massacre in late September.
Solomon-Simmons expressed optimism regarding the investigation, which commenced recently.
"It was unambiguous from the meetings held over the previous 48 hours, including with the survivors themselves, that everybody craves a thorough investigation," he affirmed. "Everybody yearns for real accountability for the massacre."
The survivors purportedly conveyed their sentiments to the DOJ through a statement, which included, "We hope that the DOJ will execute its duties and render those responsible for this heinous act accountable... Too many Greenwood residents have perished without any retribution, any dignity."
"We've grown weary, but God has guided us this far for a purpose," Solomon-Simmons continued, quoting the survivors. "We pray that the DOJ will finally bring accountability within our reach and that we live to witness it."
In 1921, Tulsa's Greenwood neighborhood was a flourishing hub for Black-owned businesses. On May 31, 1921, a White mob brought devastation to approximately 35 city blocks within 16 hours, apprehending thousands of Black residents, while looting, assaulting, and murdering others, as reported by CNN earlier.
This week, DOJ officials have also collected evidence on the massacre's site, Solomon-Simmons revealed.
The DOJ initiated the investigation under the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, allowing the agency to investigate civil rights crimes prior to 1980 leading to fatalities.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke commented during the announcement of the investigation in late September, "We acknowledge the descendants of the survivors, and the victims continue to grapple with the trauma of this act of racial terrorism. We do not harbor the expectation that there are surviving perpetrators eligible for criminal prosecution by us or the state."
The DOJ will instead examine "available documents, eyewitness reports, scholarly and historical research" and more on the massacre. The department aims to wrap up its overall review by the year's end.
On Thursday, Solomon-Simmons and others urged Tulsa residents to submit any documents, diaries, or photographs, or share their or their relative's stories related to the massacre.
Solomon-Simmons was joined by descendants of the survivors and US Rep. Al Green of Texas, who has championed the families' cause.
Green unveiled plans to sponsor individual bills for compensatory and punitive damages for each survivor.
"The federal government must take action. That's what the federal government is for. We need to fulfill our duty. Our responsibility consists of ensuring justice through some form of recompense for those who have suffered," Green asserted regarding the proposed legislation.
In June, the Oklahoma Supreme Court disregarded a lawsuit arguing that the surviving massacre victims should be compensated by the city for damages.
The lawsuit, initially filed in 2021 by survivors Hughes Van Ellis, Viola Fletcher, and Lessie Benningfield Randle, saw Ellis's demise last year at the age of 102. Fletcher, 110 years old, and Randle, 109, are set to turn 110 in the coming month. Green has instructed his staff to pay tribute to Randle with a flag over the US Capitol on her birthday.
Their lawsuit was dismissed by an Oklahoma district court judge, who concurred with the city of Tulsa's argument that "being associated with a historical event does not grant a person unlimited rights to seek damages."
Attorneys for Fletcher and Randle contended that the survivors at least deserved a trial.
"The annihilation of a 40-block area through murder and arson clearly falls under the definition of a public nuisance in accordance with Oklahoma law. Applying the law faithfully, logic dictates that Mother Randle and Mother Fletcher have formulated a rational claim for relief," the attorneys stated in a statement following the state Supreme Court decision.
Everyone in the community is hopeful that the investigation will bring accountability to those responsible for the massacre. Us, the survivors and our families, have endured much and are eager for justice.
