Historical events are often seen as things of the past, neatly packaged in museums and history books. However, the 1921 Tulsa race massacre continues to have lasting effects, with new battles arising from the original event. One such battle revolves around the estate and intellectual property of Andrew Chesteen (A.C.) Jackson, a prominent victim of the massacre.
Jackson’s family recently filed a lawsuit against Greenwood Rising, a museum dedicated to the memory of Greenwood, seeking to prevent the museum from using Jackson’s image. The family is also seeking control over Jackson’s estate and intellectual property. Jackson was a widely respected doctor in Tulsa who treated patients of all races, and his story has been used by the city and centennial commissions without the family’s permission.
According to Jon Adams, Jackson’s great-great nephew, the family decided to bring the suit because they saw others profiting from Jackson’s image after generations of trauma and loss of wealth. The family wants to be able to leverage resources to further research and control the narrative surrounding their relative.
However, the court ruled against Adams and his family in previous litigation, and the judge recently denied their motion for reconsideration. Greenwood Rising maintains that they are a nonprofit organization and does not profit from their work. They have offered to drop their objection if the estate’s attorneys agree not to sue them in the future.
This conflict highlights the ongoing tensions in Tulsa surrounding reparations and the exploitation of victims of the massacre. While museums can serve as educational tools, they can also perpetuate harm by ignoring the demands of victims and aligning with the interests of elites. Traumatized families have the right to protect the intellectual property of their loved ones and demand not to be ignored.
Ultimately, the battle over Jackson’s estate and intellectual property continues. The family’s lawyer plans to appeal the ruling and take the case to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The legacy of the Tulsa race massacre lives on, as the wounds from the 102-year-old event continue to fester.
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