Oklahoma Civil Rights and Racism
Hear and learn from the oral histories of Oklahomans who have continually fought against racism and advocated for the civil rights of minorities.
Learn From These Influential Oklahomans
Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher
Civil Rights ActivistHer son, Bruce, tells the story of his pioneering mother who became the first African-American to attend OU's law school.
Barbara Santee
NARAL, Women’s RightsFor more than 40 years, she was a leading voice for women's reproductive rights.
Clifton Taulbert
Businessman & AuthorOvercoming obstacles of segregation, he went on to achieve success as an entrepreneur.
Dr. G. Calvin McCutchen
Mount Zion Baptist ChurchA leading voice for racial justice and pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church for 50 years.
George Henderson
University of OklahomaActivist, author, and educator; Henderson made an impression amidst cultural diversity.
Gloria Dialectic
Gloria Dialectic – Social WorkerShe dedicated her career to helping society's most vulnerable citizens.
Jeanne Eason Phillips
Witness to the Civil Rights EraEven though they endured the pain of racism, Jeanne and Judy tell a very upbeat story of making Oklahoma a better place to live.
Jim Goodwin
Owner of The Oklahoma Eagle Newspaper, Lawyer, Healthcare LeaderJames "Jim" Osby Goodwin is the owner of The Oklahoma Eagle, Tulsa's only black-owned newspaper, a prominent lawyer who argued cases for free speech and reparations for the 1921 Race Massacre, and served on the Tulsa City-County Board of Health for over 50 years.
Joyce Henderson
Educator and Civil Rights ActivistAs a child of the civil rights era, her mentor, Clara Luper, taught her to stand up for equality.
Joyce Jackson
Civil Rights Activist, First Black Female Journalist on Oklahoma TVA tireless advocate for sharing and applauding the history of black communities, civil rights activist Joyce Jackson was the first black female journalist in Oklahoma television history.
Julius Pegues
First Black Varsity Basketball Player at Pittsburgh University, USAF Weather Forecaster, FAA Advisor, ActivistJulius Pegues was best known for his work to memorialize Tulsa’s 1921 Race Massacre and the history and culture of Black Tulsans through the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation, with his efforts laying the groundwork for the Greenwood Rising History Center.
LaDonna Harris
Social Activist and PoliticianA loyal and tireless advocate for the civil liberties of women and Native Americans.
Loretta Young Jackson
Community LeaderLorettea holds many honors, but her greatest work lies in the discovery and restoration of the Verden Separate School.
Marilyn Luper
1958 Oklahoma City Sit-insDaughter of Clara Luper, an icon of the civil rights era who led sit-ins at Oklahoma City lunch counters in 1958.
Marques Haynes
Harlem GlobetrotterA unique talent for basketball took him from small-town America to the world.
Maxine Horner
Former Oklahoma SenatorOne of the first African-American women in the Oklahoma State Senate, serving from 1986 to 2004.
Norma Eagleton
Public Official and LawyerA pioneering public official and true servant to her community and fellow citizens.
Porter Reed
Baseball Player, Negro LeagueAs an athlete in the Negro Leagues, he played baseball with the greats.
Ray Feldman
Community LeaderA lover of the law and human rights, anthropology, nature, and -- most of all -- his wife Nancy.
Rev. Dr. John B. Wolf
Unitarian MinisterAs a senior minister at All Souls Unitarian Church, he used his pulpit to promote civil rights for minorities, women, and children.
Wess & Cathryn Young
Tulsa 1921 Race MassacreSurvivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and dedicated activist is joined by his wife, Cathryn.
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