What's happened
The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a federal investigation into the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, marking the first such inquiry. This comes after a state court dismissed a lawsuit from survivors seeking justice. The review aims to analyze the massacre under civil rights laws and is expected to conclude by year-end.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke emphasized the significance of the DOJ's review, stating, "We honor the legacy of the Tulsa race massacre survivors... by conducting our own review and evaluation of the massacre." The Independent reported that the review aims to analyze the massacre in light of both modern and historical civil rights laws, with a report expected by the end of the year. Axios noted that this investigation is unprecedented, as the DOJ has never before conducted a federal inquiry into the massacre, which has left many victims and their descendants without acknowledgment or compensation for generations.
How we got here
The Tulsa race massacre occurred on May 31, 1921, when a white mob attacked the Greenwood District, killing hundreds of Black residents and destroying businesses. Despite numerous investigations, no one has been held accountable for the violence, leading to ongoing calls for justice from survivors and their descendants.
Common question
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Why is the federal investigation into the Tulsa massacre significant?
The recent announcement of a federal investigation into the 1921 Tulsa race massacre marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing quest for justice and recognition of historical injustices. This inquiry not only seeks to address the past but also resonates with current civil rights issues, prompting many to ask what this means for survivors and their descendants today.
More on these topics
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The Tulsa race massacre took place on May 31 and June 1, 1921, when mobs of white residents, many of them deputized and given weapons by city officials, attacked black residents and businesses of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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The United States Department of Justice, also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice in the United States, and is equivale
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Kristen Clarke is an American lawyer who is President of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. She previously headed the Civil Rights bureau of Eric Schneiderman.
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Oklahoma is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by the state of Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New Mexico on the west, and Colorado on the northwest.