Latest news with #JusticeforGreenwood
USA Today
05-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
'Open wounds': Tulsa, Oklahoma, mayor backs new plan for reparations for race massacre victims
'Open wounds': Tulsa, Oklahoma, mayor backs new plan for reparations for race massacre victims Tulsa, Oklahoma's new mayor said on Tuesday that he is backing parts of a plan that aims to pay reparations to the survivors and descendants of a 1921 race massacre in the city, after other efforts to ensure compensation for victims have failed. Survivors of a white mob's attack on Black Americans have turned to state and local courts seeking reparations, but those efforts have stalled. The U.S. Department of Justice in January said while there are credible reports that law enforcement was involved in the attack, it had no avenue to prosecute the crimes that occurred, citing the expiration of relevant statutes of limitations and the youngest potential defendants being more than 115 years old. Justice for Greenwood, a non-profit organization, at a news conference on Tuesday outlined a new effort. It comes as President Donald Trump rolls back programs that tried to increase representation of marginalized groups such as Black Americans, women and LGBTQ people in federal government. Many companies such as retailer Target have followed suit. Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols, who took office in December as the first Black person to hold that position, released a statement on Monday saying he looked "forward to implementing significant elements of the plan." He added that in the coming weeks he will share the framework his administration will use to "heal the open wounds left by the massacre." A spokesperson for the mayor said he will share the parts of the plan he supports in the coming weeks. The plan calls for Tulsa to give preference to descendants of victims for city jobs and contracts and immunity from city taxes, and complete an audit to determine if the municipality unlawfully gained any land during or after the attack. Damario Solomon-Simmons, the executive director of Justice for Greenwood, said he expects that the plan will be challenged but will withstand any legal scrutiny. "We cannot control people of bad faith who want to be in opposition," he said, adding that there were also white victims of the attack who would benefit from the plan. (Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York; editing by Donna Bryson and Aurora Ellis)
The Independent
04-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Tulsa's new mayor backs 'significant elements' of plan for city to do more over Tulsa Race Massacre
Tulsa's new mayor on Tuesday backed doing more for victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and their descendants but stopped short of saying how he believes the city should further address one of the worst racial attacks in U.S. history. Monroe Nichols, who in November was elected the first Black mayor of Oklahoma 's second-largest city, said in a statement he supports 'significant elements' of a broad proposal dubbed Project Greenwood, named for the city's once-thriving Black district that was destroyed by a white mob. The sweeping plan is pushed by survivors of the massacre and their descendants, who last year were rejected at the Oklahoma Supreme Court in their effort to force the city to make financial amends for one of the nation's worst single acts of violence against Black people. As many as 300 Black Tulsans were killed, and thousands of survivors were forced for a time into internment camps overseen by the National Guard. The proposals in Project Greenwood include calls to financially compensate two 110-year-old women who are the last two known living survivors of the massacre. Other requests include funding a scholarship program for descendants of victims and making June 1 an official holiday. 'I look forward to implementing significant elements of the plan in partnership with Justice for Greenwood and other stakeholders," Nichols said in a statement. "In the coming weeks, I will share the framework my administration will use to heal the open wounds left by the Massacre and create a stronger, more unified Tulsa for all.' A spokesperson said Nichols was not available for further comment. In January, a report released by the Justice Department in the final days of the Biden administration determined there is no longer an avenue for criminal prosecution over the massacre. Tulsa City Council members did not immediately return messages seeking comment Tuesday. Brian Crain, an attorney and former state senator from Tulsa, said he supported memorials and funding for a cultural center in the Greenwood neighborhood. But he said garnering support from average Tulsans for other portions of the proposal will be difficult. 'Most of my conversations with other people in Tulsa don't involve discussions on cash payments for something that happened 100 years ago," he said. Other proposals in the plan include a preference program for descendants for city jobs and contracts; an exemption for descendants from paying city taxes or utilities; and a detailed audit of any land the city owns in the historic Greenwood district and how it was obtained. Lessie Benningfield Randle and Viola Fletcher, the last two survivors, did not attend a news conference in Tulsa urging the city to support the plan, which has been led by attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons. It would be a tragedy, Solomon-Simmons said, 'for these two 110-year-old women to pass away with the justice that so rightly deserve.'
Associated Press
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Tulsa's new mayor backs ‘significant elements' of plan for city to do more over Tulsa Race Massacre
Tulsa's new mayor on Tuesday backed doing more for victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and their descendants but stopped short of saying how he believes the city should further address one of the worst racial attacks in U.S. history. Monroe Nichols, who in November was elected the first Black mayor of Oklahoma's second-largest city, said in a statement he supports 'significant elements' of a broad proposal dubbed Project Greenwood, named for the city's once-thriving Black district that was destroyed by a white mob. The sweeping plan is pushed by survivors of the massacre and their descendants, who last year were rejected at the Oklahoma Supreme Court in their effort to force the city to make financial amends for one of the nation's worst single acts of violence against Black people. As many as 300 Black Tulsans were killed, and thousands of survivors were forced for a time into internment camps overseen by the National Guard. The proposals in Project Greenwood include calls to financially compensate two 110-year-old women who are the last two known living survivors of the massacre. Other requests include funding a scholarship program for descendants of victims and making June 1 an official holiday. 'I look forward to implementing significant elements of the plan in partnership with Justice for Greenwood and other stakeholders,' Nichols said in a statement. 'In the coming weeks, I will share the framework my administration will use to heal the open wounds left by the Massacre and create a stronger, more unified Tulsa for all.' A spokesperson said Nichols was not available for further comment. In January, a report released by the Justice Department in the final days of the Biden administration determined there is no longer an avenue for criminal prosecution over the massacre. Tulsa City Council members did not immediately return messages seeking comment Tuesday. Brian Crain, an attorney and former state senator from Tulsa, said he supported memorials and funding for a cultural center in the Greenwood neighborhood. But he said garnering support from average Tulsans for other portions of the proposal will be difficult. 'Most of my conversations with other people in Tulsa don't involve discussions on cash payments for something that happened 100 years ago,' he said. Other proposals in the plan include a preference program for descendants for city jobs and contracts; an exemption for descendants from paying city taxes or utilities; and a detailed audit of any land the city owns in the historic Greenwood district and how it was obtained. Lessie Benningfield Randle and Viola Fletcher, the last two survivors, did not attend a news conference in Tulsa urging the city to support the plan, which has been led by attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons. It would be a tragedy, Solomon-Simmons said, 'for these two 110-year-old women to pass away with the justice that so rightly deserve.'
Reuters
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Tulsa, Oklahoma, mayor backs new plan for reparations for race massacre victims
Feb 4 (Reuters) - Tulsa, Oklahoma's new mayor said on Tuesday that he is backing parts of a plan that aims to pay reparations to the survivors and descendants of a 1921 race massacre in the city, after other efforts to ensure compensation for victims have failed. Survivors of a white mob's attack on Black Americans have turned to state and local courts seeking reparations, but those efforts have stalled. The U.S. Department of Justice in January said while there are credible reports that law enforcement was involved in the attack, it had no avenue to prosecute the crimes that occurred, citing the expiration of relevant statutes of limitations and the youngest potential defendants being more than 115 years old. Justice for Greenwood, a non-profit organization, at a news conference on Tuesday outlined a new effort. It comes as President Donald Trump rolls back programs that tried to increase representation of marginalized groups such as Black Americans, women and LGBTQ+ people in federal government. Many companies such as retailer Target (TGT.N), opens new tab have followed suit. Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols, who took office in December as the first Black person to hold that position, released a statement on Monday saying he looked "forward to implementing significant elements of the plan." He added that in the coming weeks he will share the framework his administration will use to "heal the open wounds left by the massacre." A spokesperson for the mayor said he will share the parts of the plan he supports in the coming weeks. The plan calls for Tulsa to give preference to descendants of victims for city jobs and contracts and immunity from city taxes, and complete an audit to determine if the municipality unlawfully gained any land during or after the attack. Damario Solomon-Simmons, the executive director of Justice for Greenwood, said he expects that the plan will be challenged but will withstand any legal scrutiny. "We cannot control people of bad faith who want to be in opposition," he said, adding that there were also white victims of the attack who would benefit from the plan.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tulsa, Oklahoma, mayor backs new plan for reparations for race massacre victims
By Jessica DiNapoli (Reuters) - Tulsa, Oklahoma's new mayor said on Tuesday that he is backing parts of a plan that aims to pay reparations to the survivors and descendants of a 1921 race massacre in the city, after other efforts to ensure compensation for victims have failed. Survivors of a white mob's attack on Black Americans have turned to state and local courts seeking reparations, but those efforts have stalled. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. The U.S. Department of Justice in January said while there are credible reports that law enforcement was involved in the attack, it had no avenue to prosecute the crimes that occurred, citing the expiration of relevant statutes of limitations and the youngest potential defendants being more than 115 years old. Justice for Greenwood, a non-profit organization, at a news conference on Tuesday outlined a new effort. It comes as President Donald Trump rolls back programs that tried to increase representation of marginalized groups such as Black Americans, women and LGBTQ+ people in federal government. Many companies such as retailer Target have followed suit. Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols, who took office in December as the first Black person to hold that position, released a statement on Monday saying he looked "forward to implementing significant elements of the plan." He added that in the coming weeks he will share the framework his administration will use to "heal the open wounds left by the massacre." A spokesperson for the mayor said he will share the parts of the plan he supports in the coming weeks. The plan calls for Tulsa to give preference to descendants of victims for city jobs and contracts and immunity from city taxes, and complete an audit to determine if the municipality unlawfully gained any land during or after the attack. Damario Solomon-Simmons, the executive director of Justice for Greenwood, said he expects that the plan will be challenged but will withstand any legal scrutiny. "We cannot control people of bad faith who want to be in opposition," he said, adding that there were also white victims of the attack who would benefit from the plan.
