Airplanes flew overhead, barely audible over the screams ringing out in the night. It was unclear if the sky was black or just full of smoke. Shots ricocheted off buildings and multiple bodies lay in the street.
At just 7 she witnessed it all.
Ms. Viola Fletcher is the oldest and one of the last survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre. For some time Fletcher was terrified to speak about horrors she’d experienced.
But as time passed something replaced her fear: courage.
Looking steadily into the eyes of Congress, Fletcher stated, “Our country may forget this history, but I cannot.”
But as debates about what reparations could look like for survivors continue, Fletcher has taken matters into her own hands.
Fletcher’s memoir, “Don’t Let Them Bury My Story,” is already available for pre-order. It will officially be published on July 4th, 2023, under Mocha Media, a Black-woman-owned publishing company.
Publishing on America’s “Independence Day” is a clear statement that white supremacist violence will never silence us.
It takes immense courage to share your truth. You are never too old to share your story.
Our ancestors preserved our history by being storytellers. Like Fletcher, our words have the power to shake a nation.