**Tulsa Mayor Proposes $100 Million Trust Fund for Descendants of 1921 Race Massacre**

On Sunday, Tulsa's Mayor Monroe Nichols unveiled a proposal for a $100 million private trust intended to support descendants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre with scholarships and housing assistance. The plan aims to address the needs of those impacted by one of the most devastating racial attacks in U.S. history. Mayor Nichols, the first Black mayor of Oklahoma's second-largest city, outlined his vision at the Greenwood Cultural Center, the same district obliterated by a white mob nearly a century ago.

Mayor Nichols emphasized that his proposal, which he describes as a "road to repair," is a significant first step towards unity and restoration. He avoided using the term "reparations" due to its politically charged connotations. "I think we can unite around housing specifically for affected populations," Nichols said. "Investing in the Greenwood district to revitalize it into an economic power again is vital."

The proposed trust aims to gather $105 million in assets, with substantial funding secured or pledged by June 1, 2026. According to Nichols, the plan does not require city council approval, though any transfer of city property to the trust would need council authorization. The bulk of the funds, approximately $60 million, is earmarked for upgrading buildings and rejuvenating Tulsa’s north side.

Nichols also recently signed an executive order designating June 1 as Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day, marking it as an official city holiday. Acknowledging the national political climate, particularly under President Trump's administration, Nichols recognized the challenging environment for such initiatives but stressed the necessity of the work ahead.

Jacqueline Weary, granddaughter of massacre survivor John R. Emerson Sr., noted the political complexity surrounding direct cash payments to descendants. Reflecting on her family's lost wealth due to the massacre, she said, "If Greenwood was still there, my grandfather would still have his hotel. It was literally taken away."

Tulsa joins other U.S. cities like Evanston, Illinois, which was the first to offer reparations to Black residents for past discrimination. Evanston provided qualifying households with $25,000 for housing-related expenses, funded by taxes on recreational marijuana sales. Similar considerations are underway in California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Iowa, and by institutions like Georgetown University.

Currently, Tulsa has only two living survivors of the Race Massacre, both aged 110: Leslie Benningfield Randle and Viola Fletcher. Although both have received financial compensation from non-profit organizations, they have not received any from the city or state. Attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, representing the survivors, has previously stated that any reparations plan should include direct payments and a compensation fund for outstanding claims.

Nichols' proposal marks a substantial stride towards addressing the historical injustices faced by the Black community in Tulsa, despite the hurdles and complexities ahead.