House Approves Bill On Tulsa Race Riot Artifacts

NewsOn6.com

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- A law approved by the state House Wednesday would give the city of Tulsa control of all historical artifacts relating to the Tulsa Race Riot.

House bill 1077, by state Rep. Lucky Lamons, shifts control of the artifacts to the City of Tulsa for use with the John Hope Franklin Greenwood Reconciliation Memorial and Museum.

The state of Oklahoma currently has control of those artifacts.

"It just makes sense to transfer ownership of the property to the City of Tulsa because it increases the city's ability to determine how the memorial will be designed, operated and funded," said Lucky Lamons. "The museum will be in the middle of Tulsa's entertainment district so it doesn't make much sense to have it run out of Oklahoma City."

Officials are currently developing plans for a proposed John Hope Franklin Greenwood Reconciliation Memorial and Museum in Tulsa that would commemorate the riot.

11/17/2008  Related story: Ground Broken At Race Riot Memorial Site

The bill passed the state House 100-0. The bill now moves to the state Senate.