TULSA, Okla. (KFOR) – Officials in Tulsa have announce a major scientific discovery related to the Tulsa Race Massacre.

The Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma was once called the “Black Wall Street,” a 35-block radius in the segregated community that was thriving with hundreds of businesses.

3rd June 1921: injured and wounded men are being taken to hospital by National guardsmen after racially motivated riots, also known as the "Tulsa Race Massacre", during which a mobs of white residents attacked black residents and businesses of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma, US. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
3rd June 1921: injured and wounded men are being taken to hospital by National guardsmen after racially motivated riots, also known as the “Tulsa Race Massacre”, during which a mobs of white residents attacked black residents and businesses of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma, US. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

But, on May 31 through June 1, 1921, the entire area was burned down as a white mob attacked the community after a Black man was accused of assaulting a white woman.

White residents burned down homes and businesses, killing hundreds of Black residents and injuring 800 others.

Despite it being one of the worst instances of racial violence in the United States, the massacre was mostly swept under the rug.

Tulsa Race Massacre photo courtesy of OSU-Tulsa
(Photo: OSU-Tulsa)

Although the Tulsa Race Massacre occurred 100 years ago, the community never fully recovered.

Businesses were never able to rebuild, and innocent families were not compensated for the losses caused by the mob.

Although there are estimates regarding the casualties that occurred during the attack, officials have been working for more than a year to find all of the victims.

Teams have completed several excavation projects in search of human remains, but have not made any serious discoveries.

Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum said that researchers had discovered an invoice from Tulsa County related to the massacre.

The invoice paid for “18 unnamed riot dead” to be buried in Oaklawn Cemetery.

So far, the remains of 27 people have been exhumed for analysis to determine if they were victims from the massacre.

Following that process, Intermountain Forensics was brought in to test for DNA extractions. At this point, 22 remains have undergone that procedure.

“When we discussed the DNA stage at the outset of this investigation, in my mind, we were always thinking about something that was maybe 10-15 years out. Instead, thanks to the expertise of the team at Intermountain Forensics and advancements in modern technology, we’re here today to announce that the remains of six individuals exhumed in our search for Race Massacre victims have yielded DNA profiles that we can trace to DNA relatives living today,” Bynum said. “We do not believe a match of this type has ever been achieved before in American history.”

On Wednesday, it was announced that the team has flagged certain surnames that are relatives to the tested remains.

“We do not know for certain that these relatives are direct descendants nor do we know if their remains are definitely Race Massacre victims. But we do know these remains share DNA with people living in America today,” he said.

The surnames include:

  • Scott, Huntley, Daniel, Meriwether, Sims, Bohannon (Coweta County, Georgia)
  • Benjamin, Willis (Austin County, Texas)
  • Maggett (Mississippi)
  • Strong, McGee (Union Parish, Louisiana and Texas)
  • Still (Oklahoma during Indian Territory designation)
  • Holden, Larrimore (Sabine Parish, Louisiana)
  • Luckett, Mayre (Rapides Parish, Louisiana)
  • Smith, Davis, Rentie (Alabama, Texas, and Oklahoma during Indian Territory designation and early 1900s).

Bynum says if you see your last name and a place where you’ve lived is flagged and your family has connections to Tulsa, you are asked to contact the team.