Viola Fletcher, one of the last living survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has passed away. She was 111 years old.
Tulsa, Oklahoma Mayor Monroe Nichols announced Fletcher’s death.
"Today, our city mourns the loss of Mother Viola Fletcher—a survivor of one of the darkest chapters in our city’s history. Mother Fletcher endured more than anyone should, yet she spent her life lighting a path forward with purpose. Mother Fletcher carried 111 years of truth, resilience, and grace and was a reminder of how far we’ve come and how far we must still go,” Nichols said in a statement, per Fox 23 News.
“She never stopped advocating for justice for the survivors and descendants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, and I hope we all can carry forward her legacy with the courage and conviction she modeled every day of her life. On behalf of the city of Tulsa, I offer my heartfelt condolences to her family, loved ones, the Greenwood descendant community, and to every Tulsan who saw hope in her journey. Rest in peace, Mother Fletcher."
According to the news outlet, Fletcher was only seven when she witnessed the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma decimated by white citizens. Called “Black Wall Street,” Greenwood was home to around 10,000 people in the early 20th century and was known for having prosperous and entrepreneurial residents.
In June 1921, rumors abounded that a Black man had raped a white woman. While the woman later denied the incident, the white citizens’ ire was already aflame. Over the course of 16 hours, Greenwood was subjected to looting and fires. Over 1,000 homes were destroyed, and almost all of the Black-owned businesses were devastated, including theaters, restaurants, hotels, barbershops, and medical, legal, and real estate offices, per The New York Times.
The massacre led to mass homelessness, and as many as 300 people died. No one was punished for participating in the incident.
On the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, in 2021, then-President Joe Biden issued a proclamation “to commemorate the tremendous loss of life and security that occurred” and “to celebrate the bravery and resilience of those who survived and sought to rebuild their lives again,” he said in a statement.
At the time, Fletcher was only one of three remaining survivors. The others were her brother, Hughes Ellis, who was 100 at the time, and Lessie Randle, who was 106. All three of them later testified before Congress and joined a lawsuit seeking reparations.
Fletcher also released a memoir, Don’t Let Them Bury My Story: The Oldest Living Survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre in Her Own Words. During her life, Fletcher welcomed three children: Ronald, James, and Debra. It’s unknown which one of her children is still alive.
RIP Viola Fletcher.
