project brief

The Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921 led to the discovery of multiple unmarked graves, with ongoing investigations to identify the victims, including the first confirmed identification of C. L. Daniel, a WWI veteran. Investigations have located more than 120 sets of remains, with ongoing efforts to identify individuals through DNA analysis and historical records, as part of the 1921 Graves Investigation. Upon new lab launch, Resolve Forensics took over advanced DNA analysis July 2025.

category

Unidentified Human Remains

client

City of Tulsa

date

Start 2020 - TBD

Budget

Not Disclosed

Resolve Forensics CEO Daniel Hellwig-Tulsa 1921 Graves Press Conference

Key Takeaways

  • Discovery of Graves: Searches began in 2020, leading to the discovery of over 120 sets of remains, with some in Oaklawn Cemetery and other identified sites like Newblock Park and Canes.

  • Identification Efforts: Forensic analysis and DNA collected from the remains are being used by Intermountain Forensics to identify individuals.

  • First Identified Victim: C. L. Daniel, a World War I veteran, was the first victim to be definitively linked to the massacre from these remains.

  • Ongoing Investigation: The City of Tulsa launched the 1921 Graves Investigation to locate and identify the lost victims and connect them with their families today.

  • Public Involvement: The investigation encourages public participation by allowing DNA uploads to sites like Ancestry.com and 23andMe to compare with samples from the unidentified remains.

innovative process

The challenge

The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre left a profound and painful legacy, with many victims buried in unmarked graves and their identities lost to history. A century later, the effort to identify these individuals faces significant scientific and historical challenges. The remains recovered are often severely degraded due to age, environmental exposure, and historical burial practices. Traditional forensic methods, such as STR DNA testing and anthropological assessments, frequently fall short when dealing with fragmented or chemically compromised samples.

Adding to the complexity, most victims were never officially recorded, and many descendants may be unaware of their ancestral ties to Tulsa. Without known reference samples or existing documentation, identifying these individuals requires advanced tools and innovative approaches.

The application of forensic genealogy (FIGG) offers a groundbreaking opportunity to overcome these barriers, providing a new path forward for restoring identities, reconnecting families, and bringing long-overdue dignity and closure to those who were lost.

Learn more at “How the Tulsa Race Massacre Began | Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre” a History Channel YouTube video, or visit the City of Tulsa’s website and the 1921 Graves Investigation information page.

project goals

  1.  Identify Unknown Victims
    Use advanced DNA extraction and forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) to identify the individuals recovered from potential mass graves associated with the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
  2. Restore Names and Histories
    Reconnect the remains of victims to their families and communities by reconstructing genetic family trees and tracing ancestral lines, giving voice to those silenced for over a century.
  3. Support Truth and Reconciliation
    Contribute scientific evidence to a larger historical and social justice effort aimed at acknowledging the atrocity, honoring the lives lost, and promoting healing for descendants and the broader community.
  4. Establish a Scalable Forensic Model
    Develop and demonstrate a replicable, high-integrity approach using FIGG for historical human identification cases—especially those involving marginalized or underserved populations.
  5. Collaborate with Descendants and Local Communities
    Ensure that scientific efforts are aligned with the cultural, ethical, and emotional needs of affected families and communities by working transparently and respectfully throughout the investigation.

the Solution

To overcome the limitations of traditional forensic methods, Resolve Forensics has stepped up to take the lead in advanced DNA testing for the expert Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) teams working in collaboration on this 1921 Graves Investigation. Our cutting-edge paleogenetic techniques and advanced DNA testing technology have been uniquely designed for applications such as these, with highly degraded remains, capable of recovering SNP DNA profiles from century-old samples with minimal biological material.

Once a successful genetic profile is recovered, prepped, and sequenced, it is then handed off to the expert FIGG teams—working in partnership with additional volunteer genealogists and database experts to identify potential relatives through distant genetic matches. This forensic genealogy method is used to build out family trees, trace ancestry, and triangulate identities even in the absence of direct reference samples or surviving records.

Our work represents more than just a technological solution—it is a mission to restore names, rebuild lineages, and return dignity to the victims of one of the darkest chapters in American history. Through this innovative process, we hope to bring closure to descendants and communities still seeking truth and justice after more than 100 years.

Key Takeaways

  • Discovery of Graves: Searches began in 2020, leading to the discovery of over 120 sets of remains, with some in Oaklawn Cemetery and other identified sites like Newblock Park and Canes.

  • Identification Efforts: Forensic analysis and DNA collected from the remains are being used by Intermountain Forensics to identify individuals.

  • First Identified Victim: C. L. Daniel, a World War I veteran, was the first victim to be definitively linked to the massacre from these remains.

  • Ongoing Investigation: The City of Tulsa launched the 1921 Graves Investigation to locate and identify the lost victims and connect them with their families today.

  • Public Involvement: The investigation encourages public participation by allowing DNA uploads to sites like Ancestry.com and 23andMe to compare with samples from the unidentified remains.

innovative process

The challenge

The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre left a profound and painful legacy, with many victims buried in unmarked graves and their identities lost to history. A century later, the effort to identify these individuals faces significant scientific and historical challenges. The remains recovered are often severely degraded due to age, environmental exposure, and historical burial practices. Traditional forensic methods, such as STR DNA testing and anthropological assessments, frequently fall short when dealing with fragmented or chemically compromised samples.

Adding to the complexity, most victims were never officially recorded, and many descendants may be unaware of their ancestral ties to Tulsa. Without known reference samples or existing documentation, identifying these individuals requires advanced tools and innovative approaches.

The application of forensic genealogy (FIGG) offers a groundbreaking opportunity to overcome these barriers, providing a new path forward for restoring identities, reconnecting families, and bringing long-overdue dignity and closure to those who were lost.

Learn more at “How the Tulsa Race Massacre Began | Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre” a History Channel YouTube video, or visit the City of Tulsa’s website and the 1921 Graves Investigation information page.

project goals

  1.  Identify Unknown Victims
    Use advanced DNA extraction and forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) to identify the individuals recovered from potential mass graves associated with the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
  2. Restore Names and Histories
    Reconnect the remains of victims to their families and communities by reconstructing genetic family trees and tracing ancestral lines, giving voice to those silenced for over a century.
  3. Support Truth and Reconciliation
    Contribute scientific evidence to a larger historical and social justice effort aimed at acknowledging the atrocity, honoring the lives lost, and promoting healing for descendants and the broader community.
  4. Establish a Scalable Forensic Model
    Develop and demonstrate a replicable, high-integrity approach using FIGG for historical human identification cases—especially those involving marginalized or underserved populations.
  5. Collaborate with Descendants and Local Communities
    Ensure that scientific efforts are aligned with the cultural, ethical, and emotional needs of affected families and communities by working transparently and respectfully throughout the investigation.

the Solution

To overcome the limitations of traditional forensic methods, Resolve Forensics has stepped up to take the lead in advanced DNA testing for the expert Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) teams working in collaboration on this 1921 Graves Investigation. Our cutting-edge paleogenetic techniques and advanced DNA testing technology have been uniquely designed for applications such as these, with highly degraded remains, capable of recovering SNP DNA profiles from century-old samples with minimal biological material.

Once a successful genetic profile is recovered, prepped, and sequenced, it is then handed off to the expert FIGG teams—working in partnership with additional volunteer genealogists and database experts to identify potential relatives through distant genetic matches. This forensic genealogy method is used to build out family trees, trace ancestry, and triangulate identities even in the absence of direct reference samples or surviving records.

Our work represents more than just a technological solution—it is a mission to restore names, rebuild lineages, and return dignity to the victims of one of the darkest chapters in American history. Through this innovative process, we hope to bring closure to descendants and communities still seeking truth and justice after more than 100 years.

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