Tulsa Reparations Coalition
Sponsored by The Center for Racial Justice, a 501(3)(c) tax-exempt non-profit corporation
1314 North Greenwood Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74106 (918) 378-8838
To keep apprised of current activities please go to the the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation. You will find Curriculum Resources and more information about the 100 year anniversary rememberance of the Tulsa Race Riot.
The city of Tulsa, Oklahoma is haunted by a past that remains unresolved - The Tulsa Race Riot of 1921. The Oklahoma State Legislature authorized a commission in 1997 to research this devastating event. After 3 1/2 years of research during which the Commission examined over 20,000
pages of documentation, the Commission delivered their report to the Governor, the State Legislature, the Mayor of Tulsa and the Tulsa City Council. The commission recommended five specific reparations to the Greenwood community, the living survivors and their descendants.
The Tulsa Reparations Coalition (TRC) is sponsored by the Center for Racial Justice, Inc. a 501c3 organization. TRC was organized on April 7, 2001 in response to the Race Riot Report and its sound reparations recommendations.
Two years later, little has been done by any government entity (entities that the report said were the only appropriate ones to implement reparations) to address the recommendations of the commission.
The State of Oklahoma Legislature has taken some positive half steps. The City of Tulsa has remained silent on the issue, taking no action or stance except to say that they legally cannot make cash reparations payments without being sued.
A prestigious legal team is working for the survivors pro bono publico . A complaint has been filed in United States District Court. The Oklahoma Eagle Reports that the City and State motions to dismiss the suit were denied. U.S. Senior
District Judge James Ellison then dismissed the Tulsa race riot lawsuit citing statute of limitations. The legal team has
appealed this decision to the US Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeal was heard in Cheyenne Wyoming on June 21, 2004 before
the three-judge panel. The 10th circuit three judge panel ruled that the statute of limitations has expired. The legal team requested a rehearing by the
10th circuit court en banc. On December 13, 2004 the 13 judge panel
denied a rehearing en banc. Judges Lucero and Seymour dissented. The legal team is currently reviewing their options.
A Documentary about the Survivors of the Tulsa Race Riot and their quest for justice is available. The name of the movie is Before They Die!.
Our coalition has the support of the majority of living survivors and we act on their behalf in the hope of rectifying this past injustice. Time is short to make reparations to living survivors. They are elderly and frail and several have died this past year. The survivors and the African American Community of Tulsa need your support today so that another year does not pass without real solutions to this Tulsa tragedy being implemented.
We hope that the links provided below will give you the information you need to make an informed decision. We invite you to read the Commission Report, related books and articles and the stories of the survivors
Tulsa Race Riot - A Report by the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921
Books on the Tulsa Race Riot
Additional online information on the Tulsa Race Riot
Meet The Survivors - Survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot and their stories.
Tulsa Reparations Coalition Statement of Endorsement
View Individual Endorsements or view Organizational Endorsements
Activities related to the Tulsa Race Riot.
Frequently Asked Questions about reparations.
About The Tulsa Reparations Coalition