A century ago, a white mob burned down part of the Oklahoma city known as "Black Wall Street", killing hundreds.

The city of Tulsa, Oklahoma is preparing to award its black community a $105m (£73.8m) reparations package to address the harms caused by the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, one of the largest and most violent racial attacks in US history.

The plan, by Monroe Nichols, Tulsa’s first black mayor, focuses on community redevelopment and does not involve direct payments to descendants or the two remaining survivors of the attack.

Nichols made the announcement on Sunday during Tulsa’s first ever official Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day.

The funds, raised by a private trust, includes $24m for a housing fund and $60m for a cultural preservation fund focused on “reducing blight”.

“The Tulsa Race Massacre has been a stain on our city’s history… hidden from history books,” Nichols said.

  • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
    591·
    3 days ago

    The plan… does not involve direct payments to descendants or the two remaining survivors of the attack… The funds, raised by private trust…

    So, not really reparations, and not really from the city.

    It’s a great initiative, but I don’t know why they are trying to make it something it isn’t. That’s not true, I do know why. “Tulsa reparations” gets more engagement than “Private investment in infrastructure and community resources.” I guess I just wish that journalism didn’t involve so much lying.