TULSA, Okla. — Attorneys representing the living survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre filed an appeal with the Oklahoma Supreme Court after the dismissal of a lawsuit seeking reparations.
The attorneys are also asking the Court to act with urgency after one of the last three Race Massacre survivors passed away earlier this week.
“All we’re asking the Supreme Court to do is give us the opportunity to get back into court,” said civil rights attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, who represents the survivors in their public nuisance case against the City of Tulsa.
Earlier this year, a judge dismissed their case. But on Tuesday the survivor’s legal team filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Oklahoma.
“This is not about the Supreme Court deciding if we’re ultimately successful. This is not about deciding what remedies we’d receive,” Solomon-Simmons said.
The Race Massacre happened more than a century ago. The oldest living survivor, Viola Ford Fletcher is 109 and Lessie Benningfield Randle turns 109 next month.
“I’m hoping and praying that the Oklahoma Supreme Court do the right thing, quickly, and get us back in the court while we still have Mother Fletcher and Mother Randle with us,” Solomon-Simmons said.
The third original plaintiff in the case, Hughes Van Ellis, known as Uncle Red, passed away just before Solomon-Simmons filed the appeal.
He was 102.
“With the passing of Uncle Redd, it just makes it even more clear when we say that time is of the essence. This is what we mean,” Solomon-Simmons said.
Now the clock starts ticking for the City of Tulsa to respond to the appeal, which should happen over the next 15 days.