Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today chaired a hearing to examine H.R. 1995, the “Tulsa-Greenwood Riot and Accountability Act of 2007.”  His statement for the hearing is as follows:

“Today, the Subcommittee meets to examine an old injustice for which our nation has failed to find a remedy.

“In 1921, in less than one day, a forty two square block area of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Greenwood neighborhood, was attacked by a white mob and burned to the ground.  Approximately 300 of its residents were killed by the mob.  What had been a thriving community was obliterated.

“A Commission established by the State of Oklahoma, issued a report in February of 2001, detailing for the first time, the extent of the city and state government’s involvement in the riot and the cover-up that followed.

“A civil rights suit based on these newly disclosed facts, seeking compensation for the damages that occurred as a direct result of the government’s involvement was dismissed by a divided Tenth Circuit on the grounds that the suit was time-barred.

“No one was ever convicted for this outrage, the courts were closed to the more than one hundred lawsuits filed by Greenwood residents and property owners against insurance companies seeking payment on their policies.  According to the Commission, ‘local officials attempted to block the rebuilding of the Greenwood community by amending the Tulsa building code.’

“It is painful to realize that what can only be described as ‘ethnic cleansing’ took place in our nation, and that it has been virtually wiped from the history books.  Thanks to the work of the Commission, we have another chance to confront the past.

“Chairman Conyers introduced legislation yesterday to address this longstanding injustice, and I want to thank him for his efforts to bring this terrible history to the public’s attention, and for his hard work in seeking a to do a measure of justice.

“Nearly 90 years have passed since the Greenwood community was destroyed with the connivance of local officials.  No one has been called to account for it.  Very few of the survivors remain.

“We cannot undo the past, but we can seek to make amends, to take responsibility on behalf of this nation for what happened, and to do what we can for the survivors.   For too many, justice delayed has been justice denied.  This is a matter that can wait no longer.

“We have a panel of very distinguished witnesses today, including one witness who will provide a very special perspective on the events of 1921.  I look forward to hearing from all of you, and I want to welcome you to the Subcommittee.”