1921 Graves Investigation; Oaklawn Cemetery Excavation Update Oct. 24

1921 Graves Investigation; Oaklawn Cemetery Excavation Update Oct. 24

10/24/2025

The City of Tulsa and field experts are continuing the fifth excavation at Oaklawn Cemetery as part of the search for victims and descendants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

During this excavation, experts have found 42 new graves not previously known, three of whom were exhumed this week and escorted by field staff and community volunteers to the on-site osteology lab for further analysis. Those three sets of remains meet the criteria for exhumation - namely they are adults buried in plain wooden caskets. Additional details about their manner(s) of death or associated trauma have yet to be determined.

While additional excavation work and potential exhumations are likely to occur, all field work is stopped this week to allow for the rain to move out.

To keep up with the work, follow the 1921 Graves Facebook Page, @1921Graves, and visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/1921Graves

Process at Oaklawn Cemetery

• Oaklawn Cemetery is closed to the public for the duration of the excavation.
• During the course of their work, experts intend to work daily excluding weekends. Hours may fluctuate based on the weather and daily tasks.
• The archaeological work could continue for another two weeks. The forensic work and other specialized analyses will continue thereafter until completed.
• While some news outlets have opted to fly, the City and field experts kindly ask that all drones and aircraft not fly during the course of the work; the same sentiment goes for videography/photography of human remains, which is not allowed.
• Interviews with field staff will be limited to the initial news conference, and any major updates will be communicated as warranted. Periodic, if not daily, updates will be posted to the 1921 Graves Facebook page, @1921Graves. The City has a videographer/photographer on staff who will also make photos available throughout the course of the excavation.

Community Engagement Genealogy Project as part of Emmett Till Grant
The City of Tulsa, in collaboration with Intermountain Forensics and the Greenwood Cultural Center, is hosting a fourth round of Community Engagement Genealogy Workshops virtually on November 7 and 8.

Registration is required at: www.greenwoodculturalcenter.org/genealogy-workshop

During the workshop, participants will have access to experienced genealogists who will guide them through the fundamentals of genealogical research, including:

• Tools and resources for effective family tree research, including free access to Ancestry Institution courtesy of Ancestry.com
• Guidance on how to expand your family tree
• Access to research materials and resources for continued learning

Workshops are part of the City's goal to increase public awareness and empower community members, especially those in Greenwood and North Tulsa - and 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre descendants - to explore their own genealogies, connecting them with resources and experts to uncover family histories.

For more information about the workshops, which are funded through the City's Emmett Till Grant, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/genealogyproject

Mayor Nichols' Road to Repair
The continuation of the 1921 Graves Investigation and the commitment to the Community Engagement Genealogy Project are one part of Mayor Nichols' Road to Repair that he announced on June 1, 2025 - the 104th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

Mayor Nichols' plan includes multiple steps to bring Tulsa closer to healing the multigenerational wounds that have been more than 100 years in the making, including the already announced and observed Day of Observance and the newly announced Greenwood Trust.

The Greenwood Trust is a privately funded charitable trust to secure $105 million in assets for the benefit of residents of Greenwood and North Tulsa. Its new Executive Director, Alaina Beverly, was named earlier today. A few of the Trust's focus areas include housing, education, and cultural preservation of the Greenwood District and North Tulsa. Currently, the trust is in its planning year and additional information will be announced when updates are available.

For more information on all aspects of the Road to Repair, please visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/RoadtoRepair

Partners in this Work
This work is made possible by: Dr. Kary Stackelbeck, University of Oklahoma; Dr. Phoebe Stubblefield, Forensic Anthropologist at the University of Florida; Ryan Peterson, Senior Principal at Stantec; and members of the Physical Investigation Team; Intermountain Forensics and their teams of genealogists and researchers; Dr. Scott Ellsworth, Historian for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre; descendants and survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre; Tulsa community members, including those who have served on related commissions and committees; and everyone who has shared their stories and family genealogy from around the United States.