Tulsa Mayor Proposes $105 Million Trust for 1921 Massacre Victims

The mayor of Tulsa is advocating for the establishment of a $105 million private trust aimed at providing assistance and scholarships related to the 1921 Tulsa Massacre. This plan has garnered bipartisan support.

“No matter where you come from or your appearance, we need to unite to address this damage,” said Monroe Nichols, who is the first Black mayor of Oklahoma’s second-largest city.

The massacre, viewed as one of the most horrific instances of racial violence in U.S. history, took place from May 31 to June 1, 1921, when a white mob attacked Greenwood, a thriving community often referred to as Black Wall Street.

Over 1,000 properties, including homes, churches, and businesses, were destroyed during the violence. Although historians suggest that up to 300 individuals lost their lives, pinpointing an exact number is difficult due to many victims being interred in unmarked graves.

In 2021, Greenwood residents filed claims amounting to more than $1.8 million in the aftermath, which, if adjusted for inflation, would be roughly $30 million today. Remarkably, the city approved only one claim from a white business owner.

Earlier this month, Nichols revealed his proposal for the “path to repair.” The initiative aims to create a charitable trust with the goal of securing the $105 million. He hopes to collect a significant portion of this by June 1, 2026, and plans to initiate a nationwide fundraising campaign.

The preliminary structure of the trust involves allocating $60 million towards community rejuvenation and building improvements. The remainder will help descendants acquire homes and land, as well as fund scholarships. However, cash reparations for massacre survivors or their descendants are not included.

While the initiative has been described as a form of reparations, Nichols prefers not to use that specific term. “Reparations means different things to different people, and I think it’s a heavily loaded term,” he explained. “We want to focus on what needs to be accomplished, rather than getting sidetracked by terminology.”

The private nature of the trust has even drawn support from local Republicans, who traditionally oppose reparations. “Mayor Nichols is commended for his conservative approach in establishing the Greenwood Trust as a private charity,” asserted a statement from the Tulsa Republican Club.

Nichols believes that this proactive, privately funded approach could serve as a template for other communities. He expressed uncertainty about whether other cities are following a similar path but remains hopeful.

For context, Evanston, Illinois, made headlines in 2019 as the first U.S. city to implement a government-funded reparations program aimed at addressing past housing discrimination against Black residents. This program is financed through taxes on recreational cannabis.

Beyond creating the trust, the “path to repair” also seeks to investigate mass graves to bring closure to families still seeking answers about their ancestors. As part of this effort, the city has made available a 45,000-page document related to the massacre.

Some of the released documents detail unfulfilled promises regarding the recovery of the Greenwood area. Monroe noted that, now, more than a century later, the city is taking steps to fulfill conversations that have long been stalled.

“For descendants who have waited a long time for action, this is an opportunity to create change,” he remarked.