Original Justice for living survivors of the 1921 Tulsa/Greenwood Race Massacre Act

Bill Number

H.R. 4228

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Crime and Law Enforcement

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-27: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Last Updated

2025-07-28T11:00:38Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

This bill aims to provide monetary compensation to the living survivors of the 1921 Tulsa/Greenwood Race Massacre—a violent attack on the Black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that destroyed homes, businesses, and lives—as a form of justice for over 100 years of unaddressed harm. It recognizes the federal government's historical failure to protect or aid the victims and seeks to offer redress similar to compensations provided for other major injustices, such as Japanese American internment during World War II.

Key Provisions

• Findings Section (Sec. 2): Outlines the historical context, including the massacre's scale (hundreds killed, 10,000 left homeless, destruction of "Black Wall Street"), the lack of federal intervention at the time, and subsequent failures by local, state, and federal governments to deliver justice. It highlights recent events, such as the 2024 dismissal of survivors' lawsuits in Oklahoma courts on procedural grounds and a 2025 Department of Justice report classifying the massacre as a civil rights crime involving racial terrorism.
• Compensation Payments (Sec. 3): Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to pay $10,398,368 in compensatory damages (for direct harm suffered) and $10,398,368 in punitive damages (to punish the responsible parties) to each survivor alive as of May 1, 2025, or to their estate if they die before payment. Payments must occur within 30 days of certification.
• Certification Process (Sec. 3(c)): The Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights verifies eligibility using only a birth certificate as proof of identity; no additional information is required.
• Funding Source (Sec. 3(d)): Payments come from the Judgment Fund, a federal account used for settling certain claims against the U.S. government.
• Satisfaction of Claims (Sec. 4): These payments fully resolve any claims survivors might have against the U.S. for harms related to the massacre, including the government's failure to prevent, investigate, or prosecute it.
• No Additional Benefits (Sec. 5): Once paid, survivors cannot receive further federal compensation or benefits for these specific harms.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This legislation introduces a new federal mechanism for direct reparations to survivors of a specific historical racial violence event, without requiring ongoing litigation. It builds on precedents like the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act (for reviewing cold cases) but creates a standalone compensation path, bypassing state-level procedural barriers (e.g., Oklahoma's public nuisance statute limitations). Unlike prior laws, it mandates immediate payments from the Judgment Fund specifically for this massacre, emphasizing federal responsibility as a "determinant of last resort" when other governments have failed.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The Department of Justice (via the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights) gains a streamlined role in certifying claims with minimal documentation, potentially setting a model for future historical redress cases. The Treasury Department handles disbursements from the Judgment Fund, which could strain resources if similar bills emerge but is limited here to just a few survivors.
• On Citizens: Provides significant financial relief (over $20 million per survivor) to the two named elderly survivors (111-year-old Viola Ford Fletcher and 110-year-old Lessie Benningfield Randle), or their estates, acknowledging lifelong suffering. It closes the door on further federal claims, which might limit broader reparations pursuits but offers immediate closure.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic historical justice without referencing foreign entities or policies.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Survivors and Their Estates: Primarily the two living survivors mentioned, who stand to receive the payments; their families benefit if payments go to estates.
• Federal Government Entities: Department of Justice (certification), Treasury Department (payments), and Congress (authorizing the fund use).
• Broader Black Community in Tulsa: Indirectly affected through recognition of the massacre's legacy, though benefits are limited to living survivors as of May 1, 2025.
• State and Local Governments: Oklahoma and Tulsa officials, previously criticized for inaction, face no new liabilities but may see this as a federal acknowledgment of shared historical failures.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal Implications: Establishes the Tulsa Massacre as a compensable federal civil rights violation, potentially influencing how unsolved historical crimes are addressed under laws like the Emmett Till Act. The "full satisfaction" clause (Sec. 4) acts as a legal release, preventing future lawsuits against the U.S. but raising questions about whether it adequately covers intergenerational harms.
• Constitutional Implications: Relies on Congress's spending power (Article I, Section 8) to appropriate funds for redress, similar to past reparations (e.g., for Japanese internment via the Civil Liberties Act of 1988). It avoids equal protection challenges by targeting specific victims but could spark debates on selective historical accountability.
• Political Implications: Highlights ongoing racial justice issues by drawing parallels to other federal compensations (e.g., 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, Holocaust survivor aid), potentially fueling national discussions on reparations for slavery or other atrocities. As an introduced bill (not yet law), it signals bipartisan support (multi-party sponsors) but may face opposition over costs or precedent-setting for unlimited historical claims.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]

Cosponsors (17)

Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13], Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13], Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-27: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
• 2025-06-27: Introduced in House
• 2025-06-27: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Original Justice for living survivors of the 1921 Tulsa/Greenwood Race Massacre Act — issued 2025-06-27 — PDF (7 pages)