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A survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Hughes Van Ellis, dies at 102

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Michel Martin. Hughes Van Ellis was one of the last three known living survivors of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, one of the worst episodes of racist terrorism in American history. Hundreds were killed when an armed white mob attacked the thriving majority Black Greenwood District. Then Ellis went on to serve his country in World War II, to start a family, and spent many years advocating for justice for the victims of the massacre. Van Ellis died yesterday. He was 102 years old.

It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.