Funeral procession, memorial service commemorate Tulsa race riot

A processional to remember the victims of Tulsa's 1921 race riot made its way through downtown Saturday afternoon. <br><br>It started at the Greenwood Cultural Center and ended at Oaklawn Cemetery

Saturday, June 1st 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A processional to remember the victims of Tulsa's 1921 race riot made its way through downtown Saturday afternoon.

It started at the Greenwood Cultural Center and ended at Oaklawn Cemetery near downtown. The event was organized by the Reconciliation Commemoration Planning Committee. It was designed to honor those who were buried but remain nameless. Reports say anywhere from 30 to 300 people died in the riot.

Organizer of the processional, Steve Cranford, TMM Executive Director, "This is simply one more part of the whole effort we're making in Tulsa to bring some reconciliation so long after the event. After all reparation really means repairing and we're trying piece by piece to repair the relationships that were broken so many years ago."

Race riot survivor, John Alexander, "I'm sure that those that were honored today were very very much entitled to it and were thankful that it finally came to pass."

The pastors of Mount Zion Baptist Church and Vernon AME Church presided over Saturday's ceremony. Both church buildings were destroyed in the riot exactly 81 years ago Saturday.