The Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the City of Tulsa, dismissing a reparations lawsuit connected to the Tulsa Race Massacre.
“The bottom line is this: right is right, and in the court of higher opinion, if folks continue to mete out what I think is cruel and unjust, they’re gonna have to answer to God,” said State Representative Regina Goodwin.
The legal team representing the families involved in the lawsuit is also responding to the dismissal, calling on the federal government to intervene, according to CBS.
After nearly a year at the State Supreme Court, the legal team representing the survivors has filed a petition for the court to reconsider its decision.
“The decision was despicable,” Goodwin stated.
Goodwin is among several individuals expressing dissatisfaction with the State Supreme Court’s decision on Wednesday morning.
The Tulsa Race Massacre occurred in 1921, when a white mob attacked the Black community of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, known as “Black Wall Street.” Over two days, the mob destroyed homes, businesses, and churches and killed as many as 300 Black residents. Thousands were left homeless, and the area was devastated. Despite the scale of the violence, no one was held accountable, and the massacre was largely omitted from history books and public discourse for decades. The recent legal actions seek to address this historical injustice and provide reparations to the survivors and their descendants.
The city said in a statement that it “respects the court’s decision and affirms the significance of the work the City continues to do in the North Tulsa and Greenwood communities,” adding that it remains committed “to working with residents and providing resources to support” the communities.