1921 Graves investigation
Summary
A $260,641.88 budget transfer keeps forensic genetic genealogy work moving on potential 1921 Race Massacre victims before the federal grant deadline.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 7
- Last 30 days
- 1
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Oct 13, 2026.
Impact analysis
Moves $260,641.88 within an existing grant-funded subfund — no new city money.
Families and descendants seeking identification of 1921 Race Massacre victims.
The artifacts themselves — 70% of the 5,000 recovered items are too damaged to display.
Mentions & discussions (8)
African American Affairs Commission - Oct 13, 2026
The current field season continues at Oaklawn Cemetery based on last year's findings, with volunteer opportunities and updates available on the investigation's Facebook page.
Beyond Apology Commission - Aug 21, 2026
A proposed ordinance would set rules for discovering, protecting, and appropriately handling Black ancestral remains and massacre-related discoveries. It's with city legal now; once feedback comes back, descendants and community members could get a formal voice in how such discoveries are handled.
Beyond Apology Commission - Jun 26, 2026
A draft ordinance would require developers to stop work immediately when Black ancestral remains or artifacts are found, consult descendants before any decisions, make reburial the default, and cover compliance costs themselves. It aims to prevent artifacts from being boxed up and forgotten like in past city projects.
Beyond Apology Commission - May 15, 2026
The commission is drafting a city ordinance to set procedures for how ancestral remains from mass graves are funeralized and what happens when developers find artifacts in Greenwood. It will be pushed to city council.
Council (Regular) - May 6, 2026
The council moved $260,641.88 within the Emmett Till Cold Case Program to fund DNA genealogy work identifying potential massacre victims. A resident pushed the city to act on known burial locations.
Council Urban & Economic Development Committee - Apr 29, 2026
A $260,641.88 budget transfer keeps forensic genetic genealogy work moving on potential 1921 Race Massacre victims before the federal grant deadline.
Council Public Works Committee - Apr 15, 2026
Over 5,000 artifacts from Greenwood excavation have been damaged from improper storage, and there's no law — federal or local — protecting African American burial artifacts the way NAGPRA protects indigenous ones. The Beyond Apology Commission wants a Tulsa ordinance to fix that.
Surnames identified in Tulsa Race Massacre victim search
Surnames identified in Tulsa Race Massacre victim search KFOR
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