Who is Viola Ford Fletcher?

Viola Fletcher, also known as Mother Fletcher, is an empowered woman and humanitarian who exemplifies grace, dignity, resiliency, perseverance, and pragmatism. She is a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister who knows how to move through challenging circumstances. 

At 109 years old, she is most recognized as the oldest known survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre. With her family, including four of her siblings, she lived in Greenwood, a wealthy Black neighborhood of Tulsa. Fletcher, then 7 years old, was in bed asleep. She woke to her mother gathering the family to urgently leave their home as the violence ensued in the streets. The families lost everything except the clothes they were wearing.

One hundred years after the killings, on May 19, 2021, she testified before Congress, “I will never forget the violence of the White mob when we left our home,” she said, “I still see Black men being shot, Black bodies lying in the street. I still smell smoke and see fire. I still see Black businesses being burned. I still hear airplanes flying overhead. I hear the screams.” Even today, Viola sleeps sitting up on her couch with the lights on."

A book about Viola’s life is now available. 

"Every day, I have lived through the massacre. While our country may forget this history, I cannot." Viola Ford Fletcher

Viola Ford Fletcher's memoir Don't Let Them Bury My Story vividly recounts the lasting impact of the Tulsa Massacre on her life. As the oldest survivor and last living witness of the tragic events that unfolded in 1921, she shares her testimony with poignant clarity. From the terror of her childhood as a seven-year-old fleeing the burning streets of Greenwood to her current role as a 109-year-old family matriarch seeking justice for the affected families, Mother Fletcher takes us on a journey through a lifetime of pain and perseverance. Her inspiring story is a powerful reminder that some wounds never fully heal, and we must never forget the lessons of our history.

More publicly available information about her and others impacted by the hateful acts can be found online.