Mon Nov 24 22:00:43 UTC 2025: News Article:

Last Tulsa Race Massacre Survivor, Viola Ford Fletcher, Dies at 111

Dallas – November 25, 2025 – Viola Ford Fletcher, one of the last remaining survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died at the age of 111. Ms. Fletcher passed away on November 24, 2025, surrounded by family in a Tulsa hospital.

Born in 1914, Fletcher was a young girl when a white mob attacked Tulsa’s Greenwood district, a prosperous Black community known as “Black Wall Street.” The attack, fueled by a sensationalized newspaper report, resulted in the deaths of hundreds and the destruction of homes and businesses across 30 city blocks.

For decades, the Tulsa Race Massacre remained largely unacknowledged. However, in recent years, Fletcher became a vocal advocate for justice and remembrance, seeking reparations for the devastation inflicted upon her community. In 2021, she testified before Congress, sharing her harrowing experiences of the massacre.

“I could never forget the charred remains of our once-thriving community, the smoke billowing in the air, and the terror-stricken faces of my neighbors,” she wrote in her 2023 memoir, “Don’t Let Them Bury My Story.”

Despite her efforts, a lawsuit seeking reparations was dismissed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2024. Fletcher remained committed to ensuring that the massacre was never forgotten and worked with her grandson Ike Howard to educate people.

Fletcher’s life was one of resilience. She worked as a welder during World War II and spent decades as a housekeeper. She is survived by her family. Her legacy is one of courage, perseverance, and a determination to seek justice for the victims of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

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