1921 Graves Investigation Continues; City Provides Four Core Updates on Investigation

1921 Graves Investigation Continues; City Provides Four Core Updates on Investigation

11/7/2024

The City of Tulsa is providing several updates amid the ongoing search for victims and descendants of the Tulsa Race Massacre as part of the 1921 Graves Investigation.

Among the updates include:
A memorial service planned at Oaklawn Cemetery on November 12
New and updated surnames and locations of interest for Oaklawn burials that can be found at www.cityoftulsa.org/1921Graves
Genealogy workshops hosted by Intermountain Forensics and the Greenwood Cultural Center
Soil and core sampling toward the end of the week at Newblock Park, weather permitting
Memorial Service
Individuals who were exhumed from Section 20 of Oaklawn Cemetery during the 2022-2024 phases of the 1921 Graves Investigation will be reinterred following the completion of the DNA extraction. With planning assistance from descendant representatives and historians, a formal memorial ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, November 12, at Oaklawn Cemetery, 1133 E. 11th St. As part of the ceremony, C. L. Daniel - the first identified Tulsa Race Massacre victim from the Investigation - and other unknown burials will be honored at a memorial service with community representatives and descendants.

Genetic genealogical and DNA analyses are ongoing for these individuals and their identities may yet be reclaimed. A monument commemorating the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and this Investigation to find the victims will be installed near the excavation area, with markers for individual graves.

Several members of the archaeological and forensic teams will return to Tulsa during the week of November 4-8 to assist with preparations for the reburial and planned memorial. The formal report from the last excavation is expected to be complete at the end of this month.

Oaklawn Cemetery will be closed starting Monday, Nov. 4, and will reopen Saturday through Monday, Veterans Day. The cemetery will close again the morning of the ceremony and reopen later that afternoon.

Editor's Note: In addition to the City's communications photographer, only credentialed media will be allowed inside Oaklawn Cemetery for the Nov. 12 memorial service. Credentialed media will be allowed one representative per outlet (one MMJ or photog, no duos). Media will be required to stay in a dedicated media staging area for the duration of the ceremony.

Parking is located along 11th St. to the north and south. A gate attendant will be present to let media inside. During the ceremony, a public viewing area will be located just outside of the cemetery on the Midland Valley Trail close to E. 11th St.

Oaklawn Genealogy Update
Genealogists at Intermountain Forensics, the laboratory assisting the City with DNA and genealogical analysis for the 1921 Graves Investigation, have updated the surnames and locations of interest for each DNA profile previously discovered. For an updated list of surnames and locations of interest, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/1921Graves.

Soil Sampling at Newblock Park
Staff from the Oklahoma Archaeological Survey (OAS) and the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) plan to conduct soil sampling at Newblock Park on Thursday, Nov. 7, weather permitting. The specific locations to be tested were brought to the attention of the investigative team as a potential location associated with the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

The soil samples will allow investigators to evaluate whether the deposits are potentially consistent with such burial features and warrant further excavation. Some soil core samples will be removed mechanically while others will be extracted with a handheld device. The extracted samples will be analyzed off-site and the results will be provided in a technical report at a later date, along with the results of recent sampling conducted at the nearby Canes area in September.

Editor's Note: Viewing will be available outside of the gated area and work cannot be interrupted during the coring process.

Community Engagement Genealogy Project: Upcoming Genealogy Workshops
The first upcoming genetic genealogy workshop funded by the Department of Justice Emmett Till Cold Case grant is scheduled during the week of Nov. 4. The invite-only workshop aims to foster engagement in the community impacted by the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The Greenwood Cultural Center and Intermountain Forensics, in partnership with the City of Tulsa, will provide education to the Greenwood and surrounding community on the role of genetic genealogy.

This workshop will introduce Tulsa community members to genetic genealogy, equipping them with tools and resources for personal ancestry research while providing insight into the forensic methods used in the 1921 Graves Investigation. Participants will learn what DNA donations are, how they are used, and how to use these tools to begin or advance their own family research. Participants will also gain an understanding of the importance of identifying Tulsa Race Massacre victims, helping them gain sense of connection to this work.

As part of the Community Engagement Genealogy Project, the Tulsa Police Department will receive technical training with Intermountain Forensics, reinforcing our shared commitment to this partnership. Additionally, Greenwood Cultural Center will develop an exhibit titled "Gathering Greenwood," featuring a searchable database to allow visitors to explore Greenwood's history as well as an opportunity to conduct personal genealogical research. This exhibit, alongside future public workshops in 2025, will provide further opportunities for community involvement and education as part of the 1921 Graves Investigation.

For more information about the Community Engagement Genealogy Project, please visit www.cityoftulsa.org/genealogyproject.