After the Civil War, there were some 50 all-black towns founded in the Oklahoma Territories (Oklahoma became a state in 1907). The initial settlers were Indian freedmen slaves who had been freed by their Indian masters -- but later freed slaves from the Deep South joined them in a quest to prove that blacks could not only govern themselves but also prosper economically if given the chance.
And they did. Many of the towns were quite successful, but they were eventually undone by factors including the Depression, Jim Crow laws, intimidation by whites and urbanization. Today, 13 of those original towns still exist in Oklahoma, and they all still have all-black or overwhelmingly black populations.
When my parents moved to Oklahoma six years ago, I became a casual student of the state's history. After stumbling upon this unknown chapter of American history, I set out to visit some of these towns last year. It was the centennial of two of three of the most viable remaining all-black towns, more than enough of a reason to hit the road.
| Continue John D. Thomas' New York Times article "Oklahoma Towns Born of Struggle and Hope"
posted in articles on February 10, 2004 11:43 PM | t (0)
« Previous phile: The worst reversal for African Americans in the labor market for over 25 years.
» Next phile: Did we learn nothing from Lando Calrissian?
Return to top of page