In a recent opinion piece in The Washington Post, it is emphasized that President Biden needs to follow through on his promised support for the survivors of the Tulsa massacre. Last month, the Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed the last remaining survivors' lawsuit against city officials, leaving the survivors to seek a federal investigation into the massacre and intervention from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). The survivors are asking for the federal government to provide justice and reparations for the victims of the Tulsa massacre.
The survivors' appeal for a federal investigation carries significant implications. The survivors have long sought to open processes of discovery to add to the collective understanding of what happened during the massacre. The federal government has a 'policy norm' of providing 'reparatory compensation' to various groups of people for harms, and the survivors argue that Black victims of Tulsa's mass racial terrorism have been denied justice for decades. The survivors are urging the Biden-Harris administration to announce their support for a federal investigation into the Tulsa massacre and to intervene in the case to ensure justice is served [7b0f6beb].
The DOJ's recent intervention in the Tulsa jurisdiction case, affirming tribal sovereignty and public safety, further highlights the importance of upholding justice and addressing historical injustices. The survivors of the Tulsa massacre are seeking justice and the opportunity to prove their case against the city of Tulsa, Tulsa County, the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Tulsa Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma National Guard. The survivors' attorneys argue that Oklahoma law doesn't require them to provide a remedy abatement plan before a trial. The recent oral arguments at the Oklahoma Supreme Court have given renewed hope to descendants of survivors, and the court's decision will determine whether the case will go back to Tulsa County for discovery and trial [cc00b552].
The Biden-Harris administration's support for a federal investigation into the Tulsa massacre would be a significant step towards acknowledging and rectifying the historical injustices faced by the survivors and their descendants. It would also align with the broader push for justice system equality, recognition of tribal sovereignty, and the upholding of treaty obligations. The outcome of the survivors' appeal and the DOJ's intervention will have implications not only for the survivors of the Tulsa massacre but also for tribal nations across the United States, as it sets a precedent for the enforcement and respect of tribal sovereignty and treaty rights [7b0f6beb] [cc00b552].