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Crews continue digging in search of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre graves


Search for mass graves from 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, KTUL photo
Search for mass graves from 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, KTUL photo
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A team of archaeologists has been digging at Oaklawn Cemetery since Monday in search of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre graves.

By Day 4, while the morning clouds and breeze gave researchers a break from the blazing temperatures, it did not cut them a break in finding any human remains.

Mayor G.T. Bynum stopped by for his first visit to see how things were going.

The excavation continues in the area where they see a continued pattern that indicates people were buried there.

"We are continually optimistic that we may potentially encounter any indication that we are entering into a grave shaft area," said Kary Stackelbeck, an Archaeologist from Oklahoma State University.

For three days, they had been slowly moving dirt with a backhoe, where radar earlier this year determined an anomaly consistent with mass graves.

One change expected Friday: crews will be bringing in a quarry truck.

"It is a very quick way for us to assess the soil across the land much more quickly than with a backhoe," said Stackelbeck.

Researchers said they have found animal remains, artifacts and debris but no human remains.

The hope is, by the weekend, they will have more answers at Oaklawn Cemetery. They plan to move to other sites possibly by the first of next week.



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