Last month, field experts conducted a fourth excavation at Oaklawn Cemetery as part of the 1921 Graves Investigation. Forensic anthropologist Dr. Phoebe Stubblefield is still in Tulsa conducting additional analysis on the 11 remains from the field investigation. Following her work, all remains will be sent to Intermountain Forensics for DNA and genealogical analysis.

Over the course of all four excavations, experts have documented more than 190 graves in Section 20 at Oaklawn Cemetery, only five of which had visible markers prior to the fieldwork. Nearly 50 graves will have been exhumed since the City of Tulsa started fieldwork five years ago.

With the conclusion of the fourth excavation at Oaklawn Cemetery a few weeks ago, members of the Oklahoma Archaeological Survey will return to Tulsa tomorrow (Thurs., Sept. 5) to pursue geophysical survey (scanning) in the Canes area. Survey work has already happened in a different location in the Canes area, but did not yield results consistent with a communal grave feature.

The Canes area is one-of-four proposed locations as a location of interest for the 1921 Graves Investigation. The upcoming scanning in the Canes area is expected to take a few hours. The scanning is intended to determine whether there are anomalies in the soil consistent with a communal grave feature. Pending the results of this intermediate step, recommendations will be made regarding the potential need for further work in this location.

 

The Canes area is located on private property and public and media access is prohibited. Those wanting to view the work are asked to stay on public property, such as the Newblock Park Trail. It's also important to note that findings will not be immediately available as experts will begin determinations.

About the 1921 Tulsa Graves Investigation

In 2018, Mayor G.T. Bynum announced the City of Tulsa would reexamine the potential of graves from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre as identified in the 2001 State commissioned report. Four sites were identified in the City’s examination: Oaklawn Cemetery, Newblock Park, an additional area near Newblock Park known as Canes, and Rolling Oaks Memorial Gardens, formerly Booker T. Washington Cemetery. For more information about the 1921 Graves Investigation, and to see existing surnames and locations of interest, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/1921graves. 

Intermountain Forensics, a nonprofit Forensic DNA Testing Laboratory leading the identification efforts for the 1921 Graves investigation, is employing cutting edge molecular biology to cold cases. For more information about their work or to share more information with Intermountain Forensics, visit: www.tulsa1921dna.org.