Tulsa Mayor Proposes $105M Reparations Trust

Monroe Nichols, the first Black mayor of United States — Oklahoma City, has proposed a $105 million private charitable trust as part of a reparations plan for descendants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The plan, announced at the Greenwood Cultural Center, aims to provide scholarships, housing assistance, and economic development for North Tulsa, with $60 million specifically allocated for revitalizing buildings in the Greenwood District. The funding is expected to be largely secured or committed by June 1, 2026, through a national fundraising campaign. While the plan avoids direct cash payments to the last two living survivors, Leslie Benningfield Randle and Viola Fletcher, it seeks to address the historical economic losses suffered by the Black community. The initiative has garnered support across party lines, with the United States — Tulsa Republican Club commending its private funding approach. This proposal follows an executive order by Monroe Nichols recognizing June 1 as Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day and comes amidst a national conversation on reparations, with other cities like United States — Evanston, Illinois, having implemented similar programs.