Before her passing, Viola Fletcher — the oldest survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre — fulfilled a lifelong dream by traveling to Ghana 🇬🇭. During her historic visit, she was welcomed with honor and love, reconnecting with the roots her ancestors were taken from. In 2023, at age 109, she was officially granted Ghanaian citizenship, becoming one of the oldest African Americans ever to receive it. She passed away yesterday at the age of 111, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, dignity, and hope.
In the words of Ivy Prosper, who met her during that visit:
“I had the privilege of meeting her and spending time in 2021 when she visited Ghana with her brother, Hughes Van Ellis.
They had fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting the African continent. Thanks to collaborative efforts of
@diasporaafricanforumofficial@ghanatourismauthority their trip was a special one.
They were promised Ghanaian citizenship by then president @nakufoaddo and it was officially granted in 2023.
She became the oldest published author with her book, Don’t Let Them Bury My Story: The Oldest Living Survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre.” – @ivyprosper
