Tulsa Elected Its First Black Mayor. Now He Plans To Address The City’s History.

Earlier this month, former Oklahoma state Rep. Monroe Nichols (D) was elected the first Black mayor of Tulsa. Among other plans, Nichols wants to help heal a community still grappling with the legacy of a racist massacre that killed at least 300 people more than a century ago.
The Department of Justice recently announced a review of the Tulsa Race Massacre, a two-day event in 1921 when a white mob terrorized a 35-square block area known as “Black Wall Street,” which consisted mostly of affluent homes and thriving Black-owned businesses.
There has been a sustained push in Tulsa for the city government to issue reparations of some kind to the descendants of those affected by tragedy, and to the larger community of Greenwood, the neighborhood that now stands on the site of the massacre. Nichols told HuffPost he supports the effort to resolve the pain that descendants of the massacre ― and the two remaining survivors of the event, both now over 100 years old ― still face. But he has not yet established a hard stance on reparations.
Nichols’ campaign was based on rehabilitating Tulsa’s education system and addressing affordable housing issues in order to combat homelessness. Black Tulsa residents have long suffered from a dearth of economic opportunity, Nichols said.
“My election was a strong statement that Tulsans are ready to respectfully and meaningfully close a painful chapter in our city’s history and move forward together,” he told HuffPost in an email. “My time in office is about the future and I don’t believe a better future is possible until we do the hard work of healing the wounds of the past.”
The DOJ review will assess what occurred during the riots. It is unclear if the review will lead directly to a local reparations effort.
But the city started the Beyond Apology Commission this year to reconcile and unite Tulsa residents in the Greenwood community and the descendants of those affected by the riot. Under the leadership of Tulsa’s current mayor, G.T. Bynum, the commission has not seen much progress regarding reparations. It was tasked with reviewing two reports, one from 2023 and one from 2001, that both called for reparations for descendants and survivors of the massacre.
“I believe it’s essential for survivors and descendants of massacre victims to find closure from this painful chapter in our history,” Nichols said. “Once the Beyond Apology Commission releases its recommendation and the DOJ investigation has concluded I believe my role is to act on the recommendation and focus on uniting our city.”
Bynum has said people in Tulsa “view reparations as not just cash payments,” and that there is also interest in economic, educational and housing opportunities ― issues that Nichols named as his priorities during his campaign.
In August, Nichols said education was something the city should be laser-focused on.
“We’ve got to take this talk of reparations out of the political sense and focus on other areas,” he told The Associated Press. “Education is an area where we should really sink our teeth into quite a bit.”
It’s not clear whether any potential reparations would actually take the form of cash payments.
Joyce Williams, a longtime Tulsa resident who voted for Nichols, said she expects him to be “open to the community” and make a real effort to provide “some means of compensation” to descendants and survivors.
“I expect that he will attempt to impact our ability to get in the position to have a hearing on the loss of a strong financial system brought on by [the massacre], and I expect we are going to have to push him just like anyone else,” Williams told HuffPost. “I’m not naive to think that this man is not going to be able to do a whole lot without some push and support.”
Damario Solomon-Simmons, executive director of Justice for Greenwood, an advocacy group for Tulsa Race Massacre survivors and descendants, told HuffPost that addressing the terror and trauma that erupted in 1921 should be a “top priority” for Nichols.
“We are excited because we want to see policies and laws implemented that benefit our community, and at the top of our list is justice and reparations for the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, particularly as it relates to the two living survivors,” Solomon-Simmons told HuffPost.
“That has to be one of the things he does in the very beginning to move this issue forward and have actual progress, and not just another Black face in a high place,” Solomon-Simmons said.
The last two living survivors of the massacre ― Viola Fletcher, 110, and Lessie Benningfield Randle, 110 ― have, along with several descendants, been fighting in courts in their quest for reparations.
In June, the Oklahoma Supreme Court rejected a request to reconsider a dismissed lawsuit filed by Fletcher and Randle. The aim of the lawsuit was to force the city of Tulsa to pay reparations to Fletcher and Randle for their sufferings after the massacre. After the rejection, Solomon-Simmons, who represents the two survivors, requested a federal review from the Department of Justice, and met with Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights, in Washington, D.C. The announcement of the review came months later.
“My election as Mayor shows that Tulsans are ready for a new kind of leadership ― one committed to building a city where we can live and work together, regardless of race,” Nichols told HuffPost. “I know that I’m able to serve today because I stand on the shoulders of those who sacrificed for our community before, during, and after the race massacre.”
Don’t let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America’s future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down.
Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can’t do it without you.
Can’t afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
You’ve supported HuffPost before, and we’ll be honest — we could use your help again. We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can’t do it without you.
Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.
You’ve supported HuffPost before, and we’ll be honest — we could use your help again. We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can’t do it without you.
Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
Solomon-Simmons told HuffPost that addressing the city’s racial issues and history was one of the main driving factors for voters this year. Now, the community waits for results.
“This is one of the reasons North Tulsans and Black Tulsans voted in such high numbers for Monroe,” Solomon-Simmons said. “Because they believe he will do something that has never been done. To make sure reparations are implemented correctly.”