Search For Mass Graves From 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Continues

The search for possible mass graves from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre continues.

Crews are focused on a hole that was dug up Monday because there could be victims from the race massacre buried there.

Historian Scott Ellsworth is helping guide the search and said the goal is to dig deeper until they hit undisturbed ground.

Crews have already dug 7-feet down, and Ellsworth believes they have a long way to go.

The area the team is excavating is about 19-feet by 10-feet, with a smaller focus area within that area.

The search could possibly reveal a dark past based on what the team finds.

"There is no question we had unidentified riot victims that were buried at the cemetery and elsewhere in the city," said Ellsworth. "I think this is a very big step for Tulsa as we still grapple with the legacy of this horrible event."

Crews plan to search until 3 p.m., and then they'll start back up again Wednesday morning.

The excavation could take up to 6 days.

The work done this week will help determine if a larger excavation will need to happen.