Tulsa's Landmark $105 Million Reparations Initiative: Road to Repair
ICARO Media Group
**Tulsa Unveils $105 Million Reparations Plan for 1921 Race Massacre**
In an unprecedented move, the city of Tulsa has announced a sweeping $105 million reparations package aimed at addressing the lingering effects of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The initiative, revealed on Sunday by Mayor Monroe Nichols, represents the first large-scale commitment of funds to rectify the enduring damage from one of the darkest episodes of racial violence in U.S. history.
The Tulsa Race Massacre, which occurred in 1921, resulted in the deaths of up to 300 Black residents and the complete destruction of a thriving neighborhood often referred to as Black Wall Street. Over a century later, the newly unveiled plan, dubbed "Road to Repair," aims to mitigate the persistent disparities in the Greenwood neighborhood and the broader North Tulsa community.
Central to the reparations package is the establishment of the Greenwood Trust, a private charitable organization tasked with raising $105 million through private contributions, property transfers, and potentially public funding. The target date for securing these assets is next spring, coinciding with the 105th anniversary of the horrific event.
Although the package does not specifically include direct financial compensation for the two remaining known survivors of the massacre, who are now 110 and 111 years old, the Board of Trustees of the Greenwood Trust may consider such payments. This provision aligns with statements made by city spokeswoman Michelle Brooks.
Mayor Nichols, who is notably the first Black mayor of Tulsa, emphasized the urgent need for action. "One hundred and four years is far too long for us to not address the harm of the massacre," Nichols asserted. He underscored the importance of restoring what was unjustly taken from the community and proving that the city has progressed significantly since 1921.
This initiative marks a historic attempt to begin healing the wounds inflicted by the Tulsa Race Massacre and to foster sustainable economic development and equity in the region.