Tulsa race massacre survivors remember the horror: 'It’ll be something I’ll never forget'

On the 100 year anniversary of the race massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma that left hundreds of Black citizens dead, CBS’s Gayle King was joined by two survivors on Tulsa 1921: An American Tragedy, where they spoke about what they witnessed.

“Men came in and started shooting in. I do remember a lot of people being murdered,” said 106-year-old Lessie Benningfield Randle, who later added, “I want the world to know, I never want to see anything else like that anymore, and I hope it never happens again.”

“And they were giving notice out on the street. Leave town. Leave town,” 107-year-old Viola Fletcher added. “They’re killing all of the Black people.”

Asked if she thinks about the massacre a lot or tries to never think about it, Fletcher responded, “Oh no, I think about it every day. I think it’ll be something I’ll never forget. The people getting killed. Had to give up our home and all.”

Video Transcript

GAYLE KING: Do you think about that day a lot, or do you try never to think about it?

VIOLA FLETCHER: Oh, no, I think about it every day. I think it'll be something I'll never forget. The people getting killed, and had to give up our home.

KYLIE MAR: On Tulsa, in 1921, an American tragedy. A special commemorating the 100 year anniversary of the race massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that left hundreds dead. CBS's, Gayle King, was joined by two survivors of the massacre. 107-year-old, Viola Fletcher, and 106-year-old, Lessie Benningfield Randle, spoke about what they witnessed.

LESSIE BENNINGFIELD RANDLE: I saw them break in people's houses and just destruction. That's all I saw, this destruction.

VIOLA FLETCHER: And they was giving notice out on the street. Leave town, leave town, they're killing all of the Black people.

KYLIE MAR: Randle, who is the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking reparations for the attack, reportedly still has flashbacks of the massacre including memories of bodies being stacked in the street.

LESSIE BENNINGFIELD RANDLE: Man came in and started shooting. And I do remember a lot of people being murdered. I want the world to know. I never want to see anything else like that anymore. And I hope it never happens again.

KYLIE MAR: And Randle spoke about life in the Greenwood area of Tulsa before the massacre.

GAYLE KING: What was it like before the men came in with guns? Were their stores? Was there movies?

LESSIE BENNINGFIELD RANDLE: It was getting to be a pretty nice place. They had theater, and they had other places of recreation. And they had churches. And they came in and tore it all down.