Remains found during Tulsa Race Massacre investigation linked to surnames

By Jennifer Maupin, Amanda Slee

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    TULSA, Oklahoma (KJRH) — Remains found during the search for mass graves tied to the Tulsa Race Massacre produced genetic genealogy profiles that genealogists can now tie to potential surnames and locations of interest.

Mayor Bynum said six remains found at Oaklawn cemetery had enough DNA extracted for the linking.

“There isn’t a single genealogical investigation of this magnitude in the United States that has gotten this far, and yet, we are still in the beginning stages of this process. There is a lot more investigative work that is happening, and with the public’s help we are eager to enter the next phase of this process,” Bynum said.

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1921 Graves Investigation Map By: Jennifer Maupin , Amanda SleePosted at 6:43 AM, Apr 12, 2023 and last updated 11:56 AM, Apr 12, 2023 TULSA, Okla. — Remains found during the search for mass graves tied to the Tulsa Race Massacre produced genetic genealogy profiles that genealogists can now tie to potential surnames and locations of interest.

Mayor Bynum said six remains found at Oaklawn cemetery had enough DNA extracted for the linking.

“There isn’t a single genealogical investigation of this magnitude in the United States that has gotten this far, and yet, we are still in the beginning stages of this process. There is a lot more investigative work that is happening, and with the public’s help we are eager to enter the next phase of this process,” Bynum said.

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The City of Tulsa released information about the six burials hoping living relatives may be able to identify them. The city is still asking those who think they may be related to victims to participate in their DNA matching program.

This does not mean remains have been directly tied to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre yet, nor do they have definitive identification for the remains.

This step helps researchers build family trees and hopefully eventually know if the unmarked graves are of those killed in the massacre.

There have been two rounds of excavation so far at Oaklawn Cemetery. Oral histories and newspaper articles from after the race massacre indicate that Oaklawn Cemetery is where some victims of the massacre are buried.

The search for mass graves began back in 2018 when Mayor G.T. Bynum announced the City of Tulsa would reexamine the potential of graves. The physical search began two years later in 2020. That’s when crews of scientists began excavating at Oaklawn Cemetery and have since completed two rounds of searches.

A tally from the AP shows crews have uncovered 66 sets of remains. Two of those burials have been confirmed to have gunshot wounds. At least seven others are believed to be children burials. None of the remains have been confirmed as victims yet. DNA analysis will have to confirm whether the remains are linked to the massacre.

Historians believe the death toll from the Tulsa Race Massacre is anywhere between 75 and 300.

Crews have only examined Oaklawn Cemetary. There are still three more sites identified for the city’s examination, including Newblock Park, an additional area near Newblock Park, and Rolling Oaks Memorial Gardens, formerly Booker T. Washington Cemetery. The city says both Newblock Park and the additional area near it have strong oral histories indicating they may be potential sites associated with race massacre burials.

Intermountain Forensics, who the City of Tulsa is partnering with, asks anyone associated with the surnames to contact the genealogy team here. The Intermountain Forensics website also provides instructions for participating with DNA in this project.

A spokesperson for Intermountain Forensics said he understands that participating in this project is deeply personal. He said their group is working hard to maintain privacy and said their website has a lot of information to ensure informed consent.

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