Viola Fletcher, Oldest Tulsa Race Massacre Survivor, Dies at 111: America's Darkest Racial Tragedy Revisited

Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest known survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died at the age of 111. The announcement came from Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols on Monday, 24 November. In a heartfelt Facebook tribute, Nichols said: 'Mother Fletcher carried 111 years of truth, resilience, and grace ... She never stopped advocating for justice.'

Fletcher's passing leaves Lessie Evelyn Benningfield Randle, also 111, as the only remaining witness to one of the darkest chapters in American history.

A Survivor Dedicated to Truth and Justice

Born on 10 May 1914 in Comanche, Oklahoma, Fletcher was just 7 years old when the white mob attacked Greenwood, the prosperous Black neighbourhood of Tulsa often referred to as Black Wall Street. Over the course of two days, up to 300 Black residents were killed, and dozens of city blocks were destroyed.

She spent much of her later life advocating for survivors of racial violence. In 2023, she published her memoir, Don't Let Them Bury My Story, recounting her harrowing experiences and the lifelong trauma caused by the massacre.

Her life was marked by survival, perseverance, and a commitment to ensuring the story of Greenwood's destruction was never forgotten.

How Violence Erupted in Greenwood

On 31 May and 1 June 1921, the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma became the target of one of the most violent racial attacks in US history. The violence was sparked by allegations that Dick Rowland, a 19-year-old Black shoeshiner, had assaulted Sarah Page, a 17-year-old white elevator operator. Rumours immediately spread among white locals, escalating tensions even though Page herself denied any wrongdoing and the charges were eventually dismissed.

With the intention of lynching Rowland, a white crowd assembled outside the courthouse where he was being detained. In an effort to defend Rowland and stop violence, Black World War I veterans from the neighbourhood also showed up. A confrontation ensued, and a gunshot was fired, triggering an escalation that would destroy the entire community.

Greenwood Reduced to Ashes Overnight

Over the next 16 hours, Greenwood was engulfed in catastrophic violence as white mobs set fire to nearly 35 to 40 city blocks, destroying homes, schools, churches and thriving Black-owned businesses that had defined the district's success.

Almost every enterprise like theatres, restaurants, hotels, barbershops and medical offices was looted or reduced to rubble. Eyewitness accounts, including those of Fletcher, described private aircraft flying overhead and dropping what appeared to be incendiary explosives.

The exact death toll remains uncertain but with estimates ranging from 55 to 300 people. Survivors recalled scenes of profound horror. According to them, there were bodies lying in the streets, gunfire erupting across the neighbourhood, and entire families fleeing for safety as their community was destroyed around them.

Fleeing residents escaped in horse-drawn buggies or on foot, often without possessions. Thousands became homeless overnight, and the American Red Cross later reported that nearly the entire Greenwood population had been forced to flee. Survivors recounted the trauma of watching their community be destroyed in mere hours.

The massacre left a lasting imprint of fear, loss, and generational trauma. Greenwood, once a symbol of Black success and resilience, became a stark reminder of racial violence, systemic injustice, and the fragility of prosperity in the face of hatred.

Justice Denied for Survivors and Descendants

Despite the scale of the massacre, no one was ever held legally responsible. Tulsa authorities and law enforcement largely failed to intervene, and attempts at justice were suppressed. Many fatalities were buried in unmarked graves, police records vanished, and newspaper archives were tampered with.

In the 21st century, Fletcher and fellow survivors sought reparations through a lawsuit, which was ultimately dismissed by both a district court and the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

In order to help descendants with housing, education, and historic preservation, Tulsa's first Black mayor announced plans in June 2025 to raise $105 million (£80 million) through a private trust.