Mayor Proclaims March 14 as Genealogy Day; City Gives Updates on Genealogy Work Amid Ongoing Research, Planning for Summer Genealogy Workshops

Mayor Proclaims March 14 as Genealogy Day; City Gives Updates on Genealogy Work Amid Ongoing Research, Planning for Summer Genealogy Workshops

3/18/2026

Over the weekend, Mayor Nichols proclaimed March 14 as Genealogy Day in the City of Tulsa - an important recognition of the City's efforts to find victims and descendants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

National Genealogy Day, observed annually on the second Saturday in March, recognizes the importance of researching family history and preserving the stories that shape communities across generations.

"Genealogy is about preserving our shared history, restoring the stories of those lost, and reconnecting families," Mayor Nichols said. "In Tulsa, this work is especially meaningful as we continue to honor the lives affected by the 1921 Race Massacre to ensure that every story is remembered and that our city can move forward together."

Genealogy Workshops - June 18-20
Pre-registration is now open for another round of genealogy workshops as part of the City's work to empower the community to better understand their genealogy. The drop-in-style workshops, hosted in conjunction with Intermountain Forensics and the Greenwood Cultural Center, will assist attendees with the tools they need to research their own family trees while educating them about the genealogy work as part of the 1921 Graves Investigation. While more details are forthcoming, pre-registration can be completed online.

To learn more about the work, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/genealogyproject

1921 Graves Genealogy Updates
Surnames and locations of interest have been updated for the latest burials found as part of the work at Oaklawn Cemetery. Specifically, updates to 10 burials are now live on the website. These updates reflect the latest research into the potential family members connected with the DNA from each of the burials of interest.

To see those updates, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/1921Graves

1921 Graves Investigation Update
The executive summary report for the 2025 field season is forthcoming this spring. The report is expected to summarize findings and potential next steps for the investigation. It's expected the report will go more in detail on the newly found graves at Oaklawn Cemetery from the October excavation, in addition to eight that were candidates for further investigation, were exhumed, and whose DNA is currently be analyzed.

Community Work
Various community partners and organizations are working to not only uncover, but recover from the events of 1921. Some of the organizations continuing this work in Tulsa include:
• Beyond Apology Commission
o This City Commission has continued to meet in 2025 and now in 2026. To see more about their work, discussions, and see meeting minutes, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/beyondcommission
• Greenwood Trust
o Announced last June as part of Mayor Nichols' Road to Repair, the private charitable trust now has a new executive director and is currently in the process of building institutional capacity.
o To learn more about the Greenwood Trust, visit: www.thegreenwoodtrust.org
o To learn more about the Mayor's Road to Repair, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/RoadToRepair
• Justice for Greenwood
o The Justice for Greenwood Foundation continues its work to revitalize Greenwood through education, advocacy and direct services. For more information about their work, visit: www.justiceforgreenwood.org
• Deep Greenwood
o The Deep Greenwood Foundation supports descendants of Greenwood through advocacy, education, preservation, and economic programs. To see more information about their work, visit: www.deepgreenwoodfoundation.org