Tulsa Race Massacre Was a Coordinated Attack

The Justice Department's investigation documents the systematic destruction of Greenwood in 1921 but finds no living perpetrators to prosecute.

The DOJ's 126-page report describes the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre as a 'coordinated, military-style attack' by over 10,000 white residents, leading to the deaths of 300 Black individuals and the destruction of 35 city blocks in Greenwood, Tulsa.
The investigation determined the violence was triggered by a sensationalized allegation against a Black teenager, Dick Rowland, and escalated with law enforcement deputizing and organizing white attackers.
The DOJ report highlights systemic failures, including the active participation of law enforcement in the violence and the obstruction of rebuilding efforts by city officials after the massacre.
Legal avenues for prosecuting those responsible are no longer viable due to the expiration of statutes of limitations and the lack of surviving perpetrators or witnesses with sufficient evidence.
The report aims to provide a historical reckoning, documenting the scale of the atrocity and its lasting impact on the Greenwood community while acknowledging the continued fight for justice by descendants.