Viola Fletcher, Oldest Survivor of Tulsa Race Massacre, Dies at 111

At just 7 years old, Fletcher witnessed the violent attack by a white mob on the prosperous Black Greenwood neighborhood, known as Black Wall Street. Her family fled their burning home and spent years living as sharecroppers in a tent. Despite never receiving more than an elementary school education, Fletcher carried the trauma of the massacre throughout her life.

Even in her later years, Fletcher remained a vocal champion for historical acknowledgment and redress. At age 107, she testified before the U.S. Congress, calling for reparations for Tulsa’s Black community. She also co-filed a lawsuit with her brother, Hughes Van Ellis, and Lessie Benningfield Randle seeking reparations; however, the Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed the case in June 2024.

Fletcher’s story reached a wider audience through her memoir, Don’t Let Them Bury My Story, co-authored with her grandson Ike Howard in 2023. She continued to educate the world on the legacy of racial violence and the importance of reparative justice. Earlier this year, she visited UNESCO Headquarters with Howard to commemorate the International Day of Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, speaking in front of the Ark of Return monument about slavery’s enduring impact and the potential for reparations.

Her contributions were recognized nationally. In 2021, she met President Joe Biden in Tulsa, and in 2022, she and fellow survivors received a $1 million philanthropic donation.

Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols remembered her as a beacon of resilience: “Mother Fletcher endured more than anyone should, yet she spent her life lighting a path forward with purpose.” Fletcher died peacefully in a Tulsa hospital, surrounded by family, leaving a legacy of courage, advocacy, and remembrance that will continue to inspire generations.