Viola Ford Fletcher Dead at Age 111: Tulsa Massacre Survivor Remembered

One of the last living witnesses of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre passes away.

Viola Ford Fletcher, one of the last survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died at age 111. Fletcher spent her later years seeking justice for the devastation inflicted on Greenwood’s Black community, known as Black Wall Street.

At age 7, she witnessed armed white mobs destroy more than 30 city blocks, killing hundreds and displacing thousands. Her testimony before Congress and her memoir Don’t Let Them Bury My Story brought renewed national attention to the atrocity. Fletcher continued advocating for reparations and awareness until her passing.

Her legacy remains a powerful reminder of resilience and the fight for historical truth.