Descendant of Tulsa Race Massacre victim suing City of Tulsa, Greenwood Rising
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — A descendant of a victim of the Tulsa Race Massacre is suing the City of Tulsa, the Tulsa Community Foundation, and Greenwood Rising for allegedly using his great uncle's name and story without permission to enrich themselves.
The Tulsa Race Centennial Commission was created in 2015 to begin preparations to commemorate the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre and was dissolved into the Tulsa Community Foundation after the centennial had passed.
Jon Adams is the great-nephew of Dr. Andrew Cheesten Jackson, who was killed in the Tulsa Race Massacre.
Dr. Jackson was a prominent physician at the time he was killed during the 1921 massacre.
According to court documents, on May 31, 2020, during a televised promotional event, the program allegedly encouraged tourism to the Tulsa and Greenwood area and solicited donations to one of the defendants, Greenwood Rising, to build the History Center.
The documents also allege that Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum used Dr. Jackson's name and story to promote Greenwood Rising's History Center, but did not mention that the city played any role in the killing.
Dr. Jackson's image and story also appeared on Greenwood Rising's website for some time. Adams says no one ever asked for permission to use Dr. Jackson's name or image for the televised program or for the website appearance.
The document argues that the three defendants used Dr. Jackson's "name, image, and personal history in promotional, televised broadcasts and on Defendant Commission's public website, for the purpose of receiving monetary donations to the build the History Center on the land that his medical practice once stood before being razed to the ground to generate tourism revenue."
Adams is asking the court to issue an injunction to forever prohibit the defendants from using Dr. Jackon's name and story without obtaining consent, and prohibit the defendants from receiving and keeping any money gained in its use. Adams also asks that all money gained, past and present, be given to his estate.
Read the full petition below: