Tulsa Riot Survivor Remembered as Peaceful Man

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — The man who is believed to be the oldest survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot is being remembered as a peaceful soul who, despite his harrowing experience, loved all the people he met.

Otis Clark died on May 21st in Seattle. He was 109.

The Reverend Gary McIntosh told those attending a memorial service on Thursday that Clark fled down Greenwood while dodging bullets fired by an angry crowd. He left Tulsa after that but returned years later to help at the Greenwood Christian Center on that very street.

Clark's daughter, Gwyneth Williams, spoke of her father's youthful exuberance — driving across the country to Seattle alone, riding roller coasters and roller-blading.

The riot destroyed much of the Greenwood area and dozens of people were killed.