Tulsa’s new mayor Monroe Nichols IV has proposed a $100 million reparations trust for the descendants of those affected by the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The private fund would offer scholarships housing assistance and investments in infrastructure but it will not involve direct cash payments. Nichols who became Tulsa’s first Black mayor last year said the city must face its past and make bold moves to restore what was lost.

The massacre over a century ago destroyed the Greenwood District once known as Black Wall Street which was a thriving hub of Black-owned businesses and culture. Nichols said the destruction and the years of redlining and public underinvestment that followed robbed Tulsa of major economic potential.

Tulsa's Mayor Nichols Aims To Heal History through Investment

The mayor’s plan would direct $60 million of the proposed $105 million trust toward rebuilding North Tulsa and restoring damaged structures. The remaining funds would focus on education and homeownership. The trust would rely mostly on private donors and foundations with the goal of securing all funds by June 1 2026. The city council would need to approve the transfer of any public assets into the trust.

"For 104 years the Tulsa Race Massacre has been a stain on our city's history," Nichols said. 

His words reflect a desire to confront that stain with meaningful action.Nichols spoke about the broader significance of the massacre and how the city must act now to correct historical harm. He said this effort is not just about Black Tulsa but about reclaiming a future that was taken from the entire city. The announcement comes as national conversations around reparations continue to grow with new proposals also being introduced at the federal level.