Sen. Goodwin issues statement honoring Rep. Don Ross

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Regina Goodwin issued the following statement honoring the life and service of Rep. Don Ross, D-Tulsa, who was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 and retired in 2002. Ross passed on May 5, 2026.

“First, I want to extend prayers to the Ross family. Representative Don Ross was a courageous, effective leader as he eloquently spoke the uncut truth, advocating for justice and progress at the Oklahoma State Capitol during his twenty years of service. He was a strong, respected Black man who loved his Greenwood community. In a Democratic majority led Legislature, Representative Ross spent a decade as the chair of the Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Health and Social Services and helped bring more than $45 million in much-needed funding to his district. He previously served in the Air Force, fighting for a greater America as a descendant of survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

“Among his accomplishments, Representative Ross was vital in the establishment of the Greenwood Cultural Center, the 2001 Tulsa Race Riot (Massacre) Commission, and the Tulsa Reconciliation Education Scholarship. The removal of the Confederate Flag from the Capitol Grounds was the initiative of Representative Ross.

“It was my honor to grow up knowing him and to do my best to lengthen his legacy, having once held his House District 73 seat and now my working in the Senate. We do well to try daily to demonstrate his passionate and productive service. Representative Ross, thank you for fiercely and selflessly serving Tulsa, Oklahoma and the nation. You earned your rest. We love you still!”– Sen. Regina Goodwin, D-Tulsa.

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For more information, contact: Sen. Regina Goodwin at 405-521-5598 or Regina.Goodwin@oksenate.gov