Viola Ford Fletcher, survivor of 1921 Tulsa Massacre, dies at 111
Viola Ford Fletcher, one of the last surviving witnesses of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died at the age of 111. Fletcher spent much of her life advocating for justice and recognition for victims of one of the deadliest episodes of racial violence in U.S. history.
“Today, our city mourns the loss of Mother Viola Fletcher… She carried 111 years of truth, resilience, and grace and was a reminder of how far we’ve come and how far we must still go,” Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols wrote on Facebook, News.Az reports.
As a survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Viola Ford Fletcher bravely shared her story so that we’d never forget this painful part of our history. Michelle and I are grateful for her lifelong work to advance civil rights, and send our love to her family. https://t.co/km7RXnDKcW
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 25, 2025
Fletcher was seven years old when the massacre destroyed Greenwood District, then one of the wealthiest Black communities in the country. The violence began on May 31, 1921, after allegations against 19-year-old Black shoeshiner Dick Rowland sparked clashes between local Black residents and white vigilantes. Over two days, 35 city blocks were looted and burned, leaving up to 300 dead and 700 injured, with many buried in unmarked graves.
Her family, like many survivors, was forced to leave Greenwood and became sharecroppers. Despite the scale of the tragedy, the massacre received little national attention until Oklahoma launched a state investigation in 1997. Efforts to secure compensation in 2001 failed due to the statute of limitations.
In later years, Fletcher became a prominent activist and storyteller, testifying before the U.S. Congress on the centennial anniversary in 2021 and co-authoring a memoir, Don’t Let Them Bury My Story, with her grandson in 2023.
Former President Barack Obama paid tribute to Fletcher, saying:
“As a survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Viola Ford Fletcher bravely shared her story so that we’d never forget this painful part of our history. Michelle and I are grateful for her lifelong work to advance civil rights, and send our love to her family.”
Fletcher’s passing marks the loss of a living link to a tragic chapter in American history, but her advocacy has ensured the massacre and its lessons will not be forgotten.
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