1921 Graves Investigation: New Oaklawn Cemetery Field Season to Begin Soon

1921 Graves Investigation: New Oaklawn Cemetery Field Season to Begin Soon

10/6/2026

Excavation work expected to continue through early November

The City of Tulsa and field experts are set to begin Tulsa's sixth field season at Oaklawn Cemetery as part of the 1921 Graves Investigation, continuing archaeological and forensic work in areas where additional unmarked graves from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre could still remain.

This year's excavation will focus primarily on the western and southernmost portion of the cemetery, where experts believe additional grave shafts may remain, as indicated in the 2025 Field Season Summary Report.

Initial site preparation, geotechnical coring, and archaeological excavations will begin next week, with more extensive excavation expected in the weeks following. Depending on weather, site conditions and what is found, the work is expected to continue through early November.

What to Expect During the 2026 Field Season

• Starting this weekend, Oaklawn Cemetery will be closed to the public during the excavation.
  • The closure includes the walking trail (Midland Valley Trail) adjacent to Oaklawn Cemetery, which will close for the duration of the fieldwork.
  • Trail users will need to use a detour while the excavation is underway, following all posted signage
• Work will generally occur Monday through Friday, though schedules may change based on weather and field conditions.
• The City will provide updates as significant developments occur.
• Drones and aircraft are strongly discouraged over the excavation area during the field season.
• Photography and videography of human remains is prohibited.

Photographs and updates from the fieldwork will be made available at www.cityoftulsa.org/1921Graves and on the City's 1921 Graves Facebook page, @1921Graves.

How You Can Help
Community members can support the investigation in several ways, including participating in the ongoing genealogy effort and sharing family information that may help investigators identify individuals recovered from Oaklawn Cemetery.

For information about potential family connections, DNA participation or genealogy research, visit www.tulsa1921dna.org or email the Intermountain Forensics genealogy team at [email protected].

Individuals interested in potentially volunteering with the 1921 Graves Investigation can complete the City's Online Volunteer Interest Form.

About the 1921 Graves Investigation
The City of Tulsa began the 1921 Graves Investigation in 2018 to examine potential unmarked graves associated with the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Historical research, death certificates, newspaper accounts, oral histories and archaeological work identified Oaklawn Cemetery and other Tulsa locations as areas of interest.

Twenty-six death certificates were issued in 1921 for African American victims of the Massacre, with 21 reporting burial at Oaklawn Cemetery. Historical newspaper accounts also reported that 18 adult male victims were buried in Section 20 of the cemetery.

Since archaeological work began at Oaklawn, investigators have documented hundreds of graves and exhumed the remains of 55 individuals. So far, genetic investigators have successfully recovered DNA profiles for 22 of those individuals. Genealogical research to recover the identities of the remaining individuals is ongoing.

The investigation has also produced significant evidence of trauma among some of the individuals recovered and has led to the identification of new (previously unknown) victims - C. L. Daniel and James Goings.

Investigation Team
The 1921 Graves Investigation is led by a multidisciplinary team of archaeologists, forensic anthropologists, historians, geneticists, and genealogists with experience in archaeological investigations, human identification, and the study of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

• Dr. Kary Stackelbeck, State Archaeologist with the Oklahoma Archaeological Survey, has directed the archaeological fieldwork at Oaklawn Cemetery. Stackelbeck is an archaeologist whose work includes archaeological research, field investigation, and preservation of Oklahoma's archaeological resources.
• Dr. Phoebe Stubblefield, forensic anthropologist and Research Assistant Scientist at the University of Florida, serves as the lead forensic anthropologist for the investigation. Stubblefield has led the forensic examination of remains recovered during Oaklawn excavations and has worked with investigators to assess evidence of trauma and other characteristics that may help answer questions about the individuals buried at the cemetery.
• Ryan Peterson, Senior Principal at Stantec, is part of the archaeological team supporting the physical investigation. Stantec archaeologists have worked alongside the Oklahoma Archaeological Survey throughout the Oaklawn field seasons.