A Century Later: No Criminal Charges for Tulsa's Race Massacre

In a recent report, the U. S. Justice Department concluded that it's too late to bring criminal charges for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The massacre, one of the worst racial attacks in U. S. history, was carried out by a White mob against a thriving Black district. It left hundreds dead and thousands of homes, businesses, and churches destroyed. The report found that federal prosecution might have been possible back then, but it's now too late. The perpetrators are long gone, and legal time limits have expired.

The report also highlighted the roles of the Tulsa Police Department, local sheriff, Oklahoma National Guard, and then-Tulsa Mayor T. D. Evans. Each played a part in the chaos, either by not acting or taking part in the attack. An attorney for the last known survivors, Viola Fletcher and Lessie Benningfield Randle, both 110, didn't immediately comment on the report. Black author and historian Victor Luckerson pointed out that the report's findings could pave the way for reparations discussions. He said, "Government documents lay the groundwork for reparations. They help establish a factual record of what happened. " A lawsuit by survivors was dismissed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in June. This dampened hopes for financial reparations from the city. The court ruled that the survivors' complaints, although valid, didn't fit under the state's public nuisance statute.

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