TULSA, Okla. — Six more burials were found Tuesday by the excavation team in the search for possible victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre in Oaklawn Cemetery.
FOX23 spoke with some members of the Public Oversight Committee, a group formed to help the City of Tulsa with the mass graves investigation, Tuesday about the investigation into possible mass graves.
Tulsa City Councilwoman Vanessa Hall-Harper represents District 1. She told FOX23 it was her idea to form the Public Oversight Committee — many of whom are descendants of massacre victims — to make sure the City of Tulsa is being transparent and accountable during the investigation. Hall-Harper said the committee feels like they are being mistreated by the city and their input on the investigation has been disregarded.
“To us, it meant that we would be consulted. And any issues or concerns brought up would be addressed,” she said.
In 2019, the Public Oversight Committee met in person. But since the COVID-19 pandemic, Hall-Harper said everything has been handled online.
“When we hold meetings, it is very much controlled by the city administration,” she said. “‘This is what we’re going to do. Now it is time to get off the call.’ That is how the meetings have gone since last summer.”
Hall-Harper said some Public Oversight Committee members are receiving updates on the Oaklawn Cemetery investigation at the same time the rest of the city.
“Emails, text messages. Mostly text messages,” Hall-Harper said. “And a lot of people are hearing [updates] when the City of Tulsa sends out a press release.”
FOX23 reached out to the City of Tulsa about the concerns. The city sent the following statement:
“The 1921 Graves Public Oversight Committee is an advisory committee comprised of descendants of the Tulsa Race Massacre and leaders in Tulsa’s African-American community. Since the beginning of the 1921 Graves Investigation and continuing until this day, the Public Oversight Committee has given the City their feedback, been informed of next steps and has been given the chance to have questions answered at any time with staff and experts.
The City convenes committee members quarterly and members have been communicated with consistently during this second excavation at Oaklawn Cemetery. Since October 26 when this second excavation began, five of the 23 Public Oversight Committee members have participated in the process at Oaklawn Cemetery and talked with field experts. Public Oversight Committee chair and race massacre descendent Kavin Ross has been at the cemetery every day of the investigation, and former chair and race massacre descendent Brenda Alford has participated in the hand excavation work. All Public Oversight Committee members are welcome at Oaklawn Cemetery, as is their feedback and time throughout this entire process. Moving forward, and as has been the case since the beginning of the search for potential victims from the massacre, the City will continue to communicate with the Public Oversight Committee during this investigation. The same spirit that started this investigation is alive and well, and work continues to find potential victims from 1921 not only during the current excavation work at Oaklawn Cemetery, but wherever else the facts and scientific findings may lead us.”
Archaeologists said Monday that the excavation portion of the investigation is expected to end this week.
This is a developing story.
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