Tulsa 1921 Graves Excavation Update For June 1

Press release from City of Tulsa:

June 4, 2021

Today, the City of Tulsa began the first phase of its excavation and analysis of the Original 18 site at Oaklawn Cemetery led by the University of Oklahoma - Oklahoma Archaeological Survey (OAS) and the 1921 Graves Physical Investigation Committee.

Crews worked today to better define the boundaries of the mass grave feature that was discovered in October 2020 at the Original 18 site.

Work was done today utilizing a track hoe to remove the overburden (soil placed over the graves from the test excavation). It is believed remains are located anywhere from 3-5 feet below the overburden, and crews are working to remove a few inches of soil at a time to uncover those remains so further analysis can be conducted.

Starting tomorrow, experts intend to work at Oaklawn Cemetery through Friday from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

This press release was produced by the City of Tulsa. The views expressed here are the author’s own.