In a disappointing decision for advocates of racial justice, the Oklahoma Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the last two survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. This ruling dampens the hopes of many who were seeking government reparations for one of the most horrific acts of violence against Black people in American history.

The court's decision upholds the ruling made by a district court judge in Tulsa last year. The nine-member court determined that although the grievances of the plaintiffs were legitimate, they did not fall within the scope of the state's public nuisance statute.

The lawsuit aimed to hold the city of Tulsa and other parties accountable for the destruction caused by a white mob in the once-thriving Black district known as Greenwood. On May 31 and June 1, 1921, the mob, including some deputized individuals, looted and burned down the district, famously referred to as Black Wall Street. The violent events resulted in the deaths of as many as 300 Black Tulsans and the displacement of thousands, who were forced into internment camps overseen by the National Guard.

Today, only burned bricks and a fragment of a church basement serve as reminders of the once vibrant and prosperous Greenwood district. The lawsuit argued that Tulsa's long history of racial division and tension could be traced back to this massacre. It shed light on the fact that victims of the massacre were never compensated by the city or insurance companies for their losses. Additionally, the economic and racial disparities that emerged as a result of the massacre still persist today.

The lawsuit sought a comprehensive assessment of the property and wealth lost or stolen during the massacre, as well as the construction of a hospital in north Tulsa and the establishment of a victims compensation fund, among other measures.

Messages left with a spokesperson for the City of Tulsa and the attorney representing the survivors, Damario Solomon-Simmons, were not immediately returned. It remains to be seen whether further legal action will be pursued in the wake of this dismissal.

The court's decision serves as a setback for those advocating for a reckoning with the painful history of racial violence in the United States. While the survivors' quest for justice has been dealt a blow, the fight for reparations and recognition of the lasting impact of the Tulsa Race Massacre is unlikely to fade away.