The following is an article from the Verified News Network.
(TULSA, Okla.) The “Stealing Tvlse” project is more than just a series; it’s a movement to preserve American Indian history that is at risk of fading into obscurity.
Verified News Network (VNN) Oklahoma and the Lucinda Hickory Research Institute (LHRI) teamed up for Stealing Tvlse in August 2022. Over the past year, the duo has worked together to research and report the crimes and injustices committed in the pursuit of Tulsa’s growth, shedding light on a lesser-known chapter of the city’s history.
“The forced removal of Native American communities from their ancestral homes and their subsequent relocation to what is now Oklahoma created a dark backdrop for Tulsa’s rise,” VNN President Kelly Tidwell (Muscogee Creek) said. “The dishonest and criminal actions that followed have stayed buried for too long. I am grateful and proud of the way this team is finally bringing much needed attention to Allotment Era Tulsa.”
The series includes several published stories that delve into specific instances of this history of injustice:
#1 The Tragic Story of Lucinda Hickory: A thirteen-year-old Indian girl’s life was cut short just eight months after it was reported that her land contained an estimated $20 million worth of gas resources.
#2 A Creek man’s fight for freedom plagued by “accidents” and suspicious deaths: Chronicling the challenges and untimely death of a Muscogee Creek man who never stopped fighting for independence.
#3 The not-so-distant history of Allotment Era injustice: While some historians date the Allotment and Assimilation Era from 1887 to 1934, the impact of Indian Country assaults persists to this day.
#4 Meet Tuckabache: The Mvskoke legend who won’t stay buried under Tulsa’s dark past: The little-known legend of Tuckabache, an influential Mvskoke figure, emerges from Tulsa’s dark history.
And the latest:
#5 Allotment horror remains unsettled at Oaklawn Cemetery: It may be over a century later, but the mysterious deaths and post-mortem circumstances of her Mvskoke Creek family remain under investigation in Tulsa to this day, and they all point to a dark secret within the oldest public cemetery in the city.
Series creators Brittany Harlow (VNN) and Tatianna Duncan (LHRI) are touring various locations between July and September 2023, including the National Archives in Kansas City, the National Archives in Fort Worth, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to locate and digitize research materials related to Allotment Era injustice. Funding was made possible thanks to a $12k grant from the Data-Driven Reporting Project (DDRP).
Findings will be used to direct future episodes of Stealing Tvlse.
The series is slowly picking up steam across the United States, as well as recognition.
After recently receiving this year’s RevContent Local Reporting Award, VNN and LHRI’s “Stealing Tvlse” series was also selected as a finalist for “Collaboration of the Year” at the 2023 LION Local Journalism Awards in October.
As Tulsa continues to seek recognition for its modern attractions, “Stealing Tvlse” acts as a crucial reminder that acknowledging the past, no matter how painful, is essential for building a more just and inclusive future.
Learn more about this series at https://verifiednews.network/stealing-tvlse/.
