City of Tulsa, OK

10/08/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/08/2025 17:36

Fifth Excavation as Part of 1921 Graves Investigation Planned at Oaklawn Cemetery

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Fifth Excavation as Part of 1921 Graves Investigation Planned at Oaklawn Cemetery

10/8/2025

Formal Excavation to Start October 14 and Last Several Weeks; Two Confirmed 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Victims Found so Far, with Others Likely to be Discovered

The City of Tulsa and field experts will begin a fifth excavation at Oaklawn Cemetery starting October 14 following receipt of the latest Oaklawn Cemetery summary report and proposed next steps from the Oklahoma Archaeological Survey.

The excavation also comes after the City announced in June that it had identified the second Race Massacre victim from the City's yearslong search: James Goings. The first was C. L. Daniel, who was identified in July of 2024. An additional identity was announced in June as well - that of George Melvin Gillispie - but it has yet to be determined whether Gillispie is a race massacre victim.

Recommended Next Steps at Oaklawn Cemetery

The 2024 Field Season Summary Report, which can be found at https://www.cityoftulsa.org/1921graves, details several new recent findings from forensic anthropologists about the remains at Oaklawn Cemetery. During the last excavation, field experts extended three different excavation blocks, namely:

  • The 2021 excavation block near Burial 27 to the west and south
  • The 2022 excavation block (containing Burials 42 and 45) to the north and west
  • The 2022 excavation block to the 2023 excavation area

Given the findings, which did not yield the number of gunshot and burn victims expected to be buried at Oaklawn Cemetery based on death certificate data, Oklahoma Archaeological Survey proposed the expansion of excavations in Blocks K and F, which are located along the fence line on the westernmost side of the cemetery.

Gearing up for this work, field experts have begun their trip to Tulsa and will start preparing the site for the excavation starting next week.

Process at Oaklawn Cemetery

  • Starting Monday, October 13, Oaklawn Cemetery will be closed to the public for the duration of the excavation.
  • During the course of their work, experts intend to work daily excluding weekends. Hours may fluctuate based on the weather and daily tasks.
  • The archaeological work is expected to take upwards of four weeks. The forensic work and other specialized analyses will continue thereafter until completed.
  • Drones and aircraft are prohibited during the course of the work, and videography/photography of human remains is also prohibited.
  • Interviews with field staff will be limited to the initial news conference, and any major updates will be communicated as warranted. Periodic, if not daily, updates will be posted to the 1921 Graves Facebook page, @1921Graves. The City has a videographer/photographer on staff who will also make photos available throughout the course of the excavation online at: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/1921Graves.

The City is also coordinating with Greenwood, North Tulsa and 1921 Race Massacre Descendants to allow for community volunteers to be on site to assist with certain tasks and be a part of the excavation work.

Individuals who want to volunteer are asked to fill out the volunteer form online at: https://forms.office.com/g/cCbiYcE5Sn.

Summary of the 2024 Field Season

The 2024 field season yielded substantial evidence of trauma victims buried in Section 20 of Oaklawn Cemetery. The investigative team recovered the remains of four additional individuals with gunshot wounds who could be victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre - Burials 135, 157, 194, and 195.

Among the now-six confirmed gunshot victims recovered in Section 20, five display evidence of multiple gunshot wounds. A minimum of five different calibers of bullets were used to shoot these six victims. Several individuals were struck with bullets of multiple calibers.

Beyond the trauma victims, 22 other individuals from the latest excavation are considered "of interest" because they partially meet the profile criteria developed for this investigation and have not yet been ruled out as potential Massacre victims.

Confirmation of the burial identities requires the support of potential descendants from across the country to participate in the DNA and genetic genealogical investigation by Intermountain Forensics (IMF). The potential surnames and places of interest for 12 of the burials have been previously announced by IMF and are available on the genealogy page at: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/1921Graves.

Community Engagement Genealogy Project as part of Emmett Till Grant
The City of Tulsa, in collaboration with Intermountain Forensics and the Greenwood Cultural Center, is hosting a fourth round of Community Engagement Genealogy Workshops virtually on November 7 and 8.

Registration is required at: https://www.greenwoodculturalcenter.org/genealogy-workshop.

During the workshop, participants will have access to experienced genealogists who will guide them through the fundamentals of genealogical research, including:

  • Tools and resources for effective family tree research, including free access to Ancestry Institution courtesy of Ancestry.com
  • Guidance on how to expand your family tree
  • Access to research materials and resources for continued learning

Workshops are part of the City's goal to increase public awareness and empower community members, especially those in Greenwood and North Tulsa - and 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre descendants - to explore their own genealogies, connecting them with resources and experts to uncover family histories.

For more information about the workshops, which are funded through the City's Emmett Till Grant, visit: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/genealogyproject.

Mayor Nichols' Road to Repair
The continuation of the 1921 Graves Investigation and the commitment to the Community Engagement Genealogy Project are one part of Mayor Nichols' Road to Repair that he announced on June 1, 2025 - the 104th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

Mayor Nichols' plan includes multiple steps to bring Tulsa closer to healing the multigenerational wounds that have been more than 100 years in the making, including the already announced and observed Day of Observance and the newly announced Greenwood Trust.

The Greenwood Trust is a privately funded charitable trust to secure $105 million in assets for the benefit of residents of Greenwood and North Tulsa. A few of the Trust's focus areas include housing, education, and cultural preservation of the Greenwood District and North Tulsa. Currently, the trust is in its planning year and additional information will be announced when updates are available.

For more information on all aspects of the Road to Repair, please visit: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/RoadtoRepair.

Partners in this Work

This work is made possible by: Dr. Kary Stackelbeck, University of Oklahoma; Dr. Phoebe Stubblefield, Forensic Anthropologist at the University of Florida; Ryan Peterson, Senior Principal at Stantec; and members of the Physical Investigation Team; Intermountain Forensics, Resolve Forensics and their teams of genealogists and researchers; Dr. Scott Ellsworth, Historian for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre; descendants and survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre; Tulsa community members, including those who have served on related commissions and committees; and everyone who has shared their stories and family genealogy from around the United States.

City of Tulsa, OK published this content on October 08, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 08, 2025 at 23:36 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]