July 2, 2025
There was nothing fun about the Tulsa Race Massacre, labeled as one of the single worst incidents of racial violence in American history.
A lawsuit accuses food manufacturer General Mills of retaliating against a former employee after reporting alleged “fun facts” during Black History Month, referencing sensitive historical events including the Tulsa Massacre and Black Codes, Fox 9 News reported.
The discrimination and retaliation lawsuit was filed by Storms Dworak LLC on behalf of L. Lee Tyus Jr., a Black man, who alleges the company violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act when he was terminated for speaking up. The Minnesota-based company allegedly passed out flyers during the February 2025 celebration, labeling violent acts of history like the Tulsa Race Massacre as “Fun Facts.”
After expressing concern, he was placed on involuntary leave. Upon his return, Tyus shared contact information of other employees who claimed to be offended by the content. After copies of the document he created were placed in the breakroom, the litigation alleges he was escorted out and fired.
The $50,000 lawsuit pushes for a civil fine and attorney fees, as, according to KARE 11, Tyus started working at General Mills in 2019. In January 2025, he received a performance review stating he was “on track.”
There was nothing fun about the Tulsa Race Massacre, also known as the Black Wall Street Massacre. Labeled as one of the single worst incidents of racial violence in American history, the event lasted for 18 hours on May 31 and June 1, 1921, resulting in an estimated 300 Black Americans being killed. In addition, a white mob destroyed over 1,000 homes and businesses, burning Oklahoma’s second-largest African-American community to the ground.
Once the violence ended, the city was placed under martial law.
Surviving Tulsa residents have been fighting for justice and restitution for decades. In 2024, the Oklahoma Supreme Court denied a request to reconsider a ruling that once dismissed a lawsuit filed by the last two known living survivors. The suit was an effort to force the city of Tulsa and others to make restitution for the destruction under the state’s public nuisance law. Legal reps also argued that the city appropriated Black Wall Street’s iconic reputation for its “financial and reputational benefit.”
In a statement, Tyus’s lawyer, Naomi Martin, said the lawsuit was filed because people should not be targeted for standing up for what they believe. “General Mills has a national brand and a deep Minnesota footprint. In my view, that kind of presence comes with responsibility, and a company of this size should be modeling what it means to support employees who speak up, not firing them. Mr. Tyus did what every employee should feel safe to do — he stood up, spoke out against what he believed was discrimination, and reported it. That took courage,” Martin said.
“And it’s exactly the kind of action the Minnesota Human Rights Act exists to protect. We brought this case because no one should face retaliation for doing the right thing.”
While General Mills failed to comment on the issue, the company did reveal that they “do not tolerate discrimination or retaliation.”
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