A U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) report released Friday highlights the involvement of some law enforcement officers in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, where as many as 300 Black residents were killed in Greenwood, a prosperous Black neighborhood.
The DOJ found that Tulsa police and National Guard officers disarmed Black residents, detained them in camps, and, in some cases, participated in murders, arson, and looting. Witness accounts included officers shooting Black individuals, robbing detained residents, and one officer bragging about killing four men.
The massacre began after a Black man was accused of assaulting a white woman in an elevator. A local newspaper sensationalized the incident, inciting a white mob to demand a lynching. Confrontations escalated outside a courthouse, and violence erupted after shots were fired. Tulsa police deputized hundreds of white residents, many of whom were intoxicated and advocating for violence, according to the report.
The DOJ noted that city officials obstructed Greenwood’s recovery, implementing fire codes and policies that made rebuilding nearly impossible.
The review, launched in 2023 by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, comes after decades of advocacy by survivors and descendants seeking justice, including reparations. However, the DOJ said prosecution is no longer possible due to expired statutes of limitations and the age of potential defendants.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke called the massacre a “unique civil rights crime,” urging Americans to honor the survivors and remember this “tragic chapter of history.” Efforts to rebuild Greenwood continue, though advocates emphasize the need for accountability and justice.
Tulsa’s mayor’s office has yet to comment on the findings.
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