The Embassy of the Diaspora Affairs Foundation (DAF) has announced the passing of Queen Mother Viola Ford Fletcher, a revered symbol of resilience and one of the last living survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. She passed away peacefully on November 24, 2025, at the age of 111.
Born on May 5, 1917, Queen Mother Fletcher carried throughout her life a story marked by courage, hope, and unwavering strength. Her testimony of surviving one of the darkest racial tragedies in American history made her a global beacon of perseverance and justice.
In recent years, Queen Mother Fletcher and her brother were granted Ghanaian citizenship and honoured with traditional naming ceremonies, symbolically reconnecting them with their African heritage and recognising their extraordinary legacy.
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The DAF Embassy of the Diaspora, in a statement issued in Accra on Wednesday, described her as “a resilient and beautiful soul who left an indelible mark on history,” noting that her life, defined by “strength and grace,” touched people around the world.
Her journey from surviving racial terror in Tulsa to becoming a celebrated daughter of Ghana has, for decades, inspired advocates of unity, remembrance, and justice.
To honour her memory, the Embassy will host a celebration of life ceremony on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the W.E.B. Du Bois Center in Accra.
The public and the wider diaspora community are invited to join the family in commemorating her remarkable life, one remembered as strong, resilient, and eternally beautiful.
