109-year-old Viola Fletcher shares her story during the celebrations of Juneteenth this year. Unfortunately, amidst the freedom in the U.S., the Tulsa Race Massacre survivor is still haunted over what happened more than a century ago.
On June 1, 1921, Viola Fletcher was 7 years old when a violent group of Whites attacked Black residents and destroyed the neighborhood of Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Reportedly, around 300 individuals were killed, while thousands were left homeless.According to Jimenez, the now 109-year-old Tulsa Race Massacre survivor recounted how she wanted to be a nurse. However, when Fletcher’s neighborhood got destroyed, she apparently felt her future went along with it.
Tulsa Race Massacre Survivor Lives A Century
An article in the New York Daily News states that Juneteenth has become the day to celebrate freedom in the U.S. However, when asked about what freedom means to her, the Tulsa Race Massacre survivor stated that she is still haunted from the terror that happened more than a century ago.
Reports say Fletcher has a younger brother who is now 102 years old. He was apparently only a few months old when their family fled their home in Tulsa. The Fletcher siblings have now lived for more than 100 years, but some of their earlier years still continue to torment them.