It’s important to know the rich and complex history of the Black and Civil Rights movement of Oklahoma City, which became a battleground for racial equality, as African Americans fought against segregation, discrimination and inequality throughout the 20th century.
In the early 1900s, like many Southern cities, Oklahoma City enforced racial segregation. Black residents faced systemic oppression in education, public accommodations and employment. However, the Black community remained resilient, establishing key institutions such as Douglass High School, the Deep Deuce District and Calvary Baptist Church—where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once preached—which became centers for cultural and political activity.
During the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Oklahoma City was home to significant protests. One of the most notable events was the 1958 sit-in at Katz Drug Store, where civil rights leader Clara Luper led 13 Black high school students in a peaceful protest against segregated lunch counters. Their nonviolent demonstration, though met with hostility, marked a turning point in the city’s struggle for equal rights. A bronze sculpture honoring Luper’s sit-in movement is set to be installed at Robinson and Main Streets.
The 1960s also brought desegregation of schools and public facilities, along with the rise of Black political power. The Black community was increasingly engaged in local government, advocating for policies addressing poverty, education and civil rights.
Though Oklahoma City’s Black history is marked by struggle, it is also one of resilience and transformation, with the community continuing to fight for equality and justice today.
