Viola Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre, turns 111 today. At just 7 years old, Viola witnessed the destruction of the Black Wall Street, where 35 city blocks were destroyed, and hundreds lost their lives on May 31, 1921.
Black Wall Street was the nickname for the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was one of the most prosperous Black communities in the United States at the time. It was a thriving hub of Black-owned businesses, including banks, hotels, theaters, and luxury shops.
During the massacre, white mobs attacked and destroyed this prosperous district, leaving it in ruins. Hundreds of Black residents were killed, thousands were left homeless, and the economic foundation of the community was devastated.
