An Amazing Law Firm
One amazing footnote in the history of the aftermath was the selfless giving of the law firm of Spears, Franklin and Chappelle. These three black men set up shop in a tent and proceeded to provide legal assistance to the victims of the Tulsa Race Riot. They not only lodged claims against the city of Tulsa and the insurance companies, but also counseled and consoled the victims. They made urgent nationwide appeals to African-American groups, churches, and agencies for assistance.
In Mrs. Mary E. Jones Parrish’s book Events of the Tulsa Disaster (p 88), she described this loving and dedicated threesome. Which I take note in my books--there's always good in the midst of evil.
The work was so big – the task so stupendous – that the boys found it absolutely necessary to work many Sundays. Through it all, there was one thing particularly noticeable and that was the “smile” on their faces and the happy laugh so often indulged in by them. They made it a rule to allow no one to come in their “office” or around them with sad faces. This was no easy task. With want and famine and dire distress stalking all about and women and little children in rags and utter poverty on every hand, it took cool nerves and limitless faith in God to do this…
It was this happy law firm that took the fire ordinance suit all the way to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. They worked out of their tent office until the month of November, 1921, at which time they moved into an upstairs room of a building on North Greenwood.
Interestingly, the Franklin member of this law firm, B. C. Franklin, was the father of none other than the famed historian John Hope Franklin, Professor Emeritus at Duke University. For those unfamiliar with this noted historian can check out this website: https://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/collections/creators/people/johnhopefranklin
Now you can read the stories that grew out of this infamous Tulsa event.