The world has lost one of its last living witnesses to one of America’s darkest chapters. Viola Ford Fletcher, known as “Mother Fletcher,” died this week in Tulsa at the age of 111, closing a remarkable life that spanned from the ashes of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre to the modern fight for racial justice.
A Survivor’s Story That Refused to Be Buried
Viola Fletcher was just seven years old when a white mob descended on Tulsa’s Greenwood District—once known as “Black Wall Street”—on May 31, 1921. She never forgot the terror:
“I could never forget the charred remains of our once-thriving community, the smoke billowing in the air, and the terror-stricken faces of my neighbors,” she wrote in her 2023 memoir,
Don’t Let Them Bury My Story.
For decades, Fletcher kept her memories private, fearing reprisals. But in her later years, she became a powerful voice for remembrance and justice, testifying before Congress in 2021 and co-filing a landmark lawsuit seeking reparations for the massacre’s survivors and descendants.
The Legal Battle for Reparations: A Door Slammed Shut
Fletcher, her brother Hughes Van Ellis (who died in 2024 at 102), and fellow survivor Lessie Benningfield Randle (now also 111) became the faces of a renewed push for reparations. Their 2021 lawsuit argued that the city of Tulsa should be held accountable for the destruction and generational loss caused by the massacre. But in June 2024, the Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed the case, ruling that their grievances did not fall under the state’s public nuisance statute.
Despite widespread public support and private donations, neither the city nor the state has provided direct compensation to the survivors.
“The fact that she died without any meaningful redress — not for herself, her family, or her community — isn’t just a legal failure. It’s a moral one,” said Damario Solomon-Simmons, attorney for the survivors and founder of the Justice for Greenwood Foundation.
New Discoveries: Uncovering the Past, One Grave at a Time
While the legal fight has stalled, the search for truth continues. In a historic breakthrough, Tulsa officials recently identified the remains of
C.L. Daniel, a World War I veteran and confirmed victim of the massacre, using DNA and genealogical analysis. This marks the first time a victim of the massacre has been identified through such means, offering a measure of closure to descendants and a new chapter in the city’s reckoning with its past.
“This is the first time that any unit of American government has intentionally sought to locate and identify the remains of historic victims of racial violence in the United States,” said historian Scott Ellsworth, who has led the search for unmarked graves since 1999.
The Legacy Lives On
Fletcher’s passing leaves Lessie Benningfield Randle as the last known survivor of the massacre. The city of Tulsa continues to explore ways to support descendants, including memorials and educational initiatives, but direct reparations remain elusive.
Fletcher’s grandson, Ike Howard, said that speaking out in her final years was “therapeutic” for her, and that her hope was always to prevent history from repeating itself. Her story, and the stories of those lost and still fighting for justice, remain a call to action for America.
What’s Next for Tulsa and the Nation?
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Ongoing investigations into mass graves may yield more answers and bring long-overdue recognition to victims.
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Educational efforts face new challenges in Oklahoma, where recent laws have made it harder for teachers to discuss the massacre openly.
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The fight for reparations continues, with advocates vowing to keep the pressure on city and state leaders.
As the nation reflects on Fletcher’s extraordinary life, her message is clear:
“We don’t want history to repeat itself so we do need to educate people about what happened and try to get people to understand why you need to be made whole, why you need to be repaired.”
Sources
1. Viola Ford Fletcher, one of the last 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre ...
2. Viola Fletcher's Death And The Tulsa Race Massacre Legacy
3. In The Know: Tulsa Race Massacre survivor Viola Fletcher dies at 111
4. Major Discovery Made in 1921 Graves Investigation - City of Tulsa
5. [PDF] Review and Evaluation Tulsa Race Massacre - Department of Justice
6. After a state law banning some lessons on race, Oklahoma teachers ...
