Viola Fletcher, Notable Tulsa Massacre Survivor, Passes Away at 111

TULSA, Okla. — Viola Ford Fletcher, known as “Mother Fletcher,” died on Monday at the age of 111, according to her grandson Ike Howard. Fletcher was among the last survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

“She had a beautiful smile on her face,” Howard told CNN. “She loved life, she loved people.” Fletcher’s death marks a significant loss for the community that has long sought recognition and justice for the atrocities committed during the massacre.

Born on May 4, 1914, Fletcher was just a child when the massacre devastated her Greenwood community. On May 30, 1921, rumors sparked a violent white mob that destroyed approximately 35 blocks of Black-owned businesses and homes in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Fletcher recalled the traumatic events vividly in past interviews, stating, “I never got over what I experienced that day.”

In June 2024, the Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit seeking reparations for the surviving victims, further complicating the ongoing fight for justice. During her life, Fletcher advocated for acknowledgment of the massacre and often shared her heartbreaking story, emphasizing its impact on her family and the Black community.

<p"We lost everything that day. Our homes. Our churches. Our newspapers. Our theaters. Our lives," Fletcher said during her testimony before Congress in 2021, recounting her memories as a young girl in Greenwood.

Her passing follows the death of her brother, Hughes Van Ellis, in October 2023. Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols expressed heartfelt condolences, saying, “On behalf of the city of Tulsa, I offer my condolences to her family, loved ones, the Greenwood descendant community, and to every Tulsan who saw hope in her journey.”

Fletcher’s legacy as a voice for justice will be remembered, and her calls for recognition persist as communities continue to seek acknowledgment of the past. This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.