Commission founder addresses rumors of cancellation of Remember and Rise

TULSA — Oklahoma Senator Ken Matthews, founder of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission, read a statement to reporters Friday to address what led to the cancellation of the big event at ONEOK Field that was scheduled for Monday.

Sen. Matthews started by describing a meeting the commission had weeks ago.

“The commission was approached by legal representation of three living survivors asking us to include them in the Remember and Rise event,” said Matthews. “They asked us to provide a financial gift for them in return.”

The original agreement was for $100,00 for each survivor and a seed gift of $2 million for a reparation coalition fund.

“Unfortunately, on Sunday, May 23, they reached out and increased the amount of the $100,000 for survivor gift to $1 million. And instead of $2 million, they asked for $50 million.”

Mathews says they couldn’t respond to those demands.

The commission plans to hold the event on another date.

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