Tulsa State Representative Regina Goodwin has filed legislation seeking $300-million dollars to pay restitution to the victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. She says payments would be made to the heirs of those that were killed or have since died.
In 1921, an angry White mob stormed the African-American Greenwood Community, burning it to the ground. An estimated 300 Black residents were killed while law enforcement looked the other way or participated in the carnage. While, over the years, apologies have been extended, the victims were never compensated for their losses.
Goodwin is one of only 18 Democrats in the Republican dominated State House. She says this should not be a partisan issue, it is about doing “what is right.” She is hopeful members of both parties will agree.
Goodwin says there are records of what was lost and the distribution system need not be complicated. There are only three known survivors of the massacre, so most of the funding would be disbursed to descendants.