Oklahoma Jim Crow Law

Starting in the late 1800’s African Americans would come to Oklahoma and Indian Territory to escape discrimination and Jim Crow Law, or law persecuting African Americans. Oklahoma had no laws discriminating against them, but in 1907 when Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory would combine because of the Enabling Act of 1906 they would become a state and that would change. Charles Haskell first law he would pass, Senate Bill #1, would be a Jim Crow Law requiring the segregation of train cars and stations. After this law many more would be passed such as: Segregating schools, restaurants, neighborhoods, water fountains, and other public facilities. Although, Oklahoma is not in the Deep South, Oklahomans helped contribute to the civil rights

Nine years after the United States Supreme Court ruled separate is not equal many schools were still segregated. Judge Bohanon wanted to end this, so he forced a stop to segregation in Oklahoma City Public Schools through his ruling (1). This shows how government leader like Judge Bohanon would try to stop segregation. With them using the power they had they would start with one small area such as schools and it would get the ball rolling to be able to expand the stop of segregation in other areas. Colleges could no be segregated as of June 6, 1955 because of the ruling by Oklahoma’s Board of Higher Education (8). This proves political leaders tried to take matters into their own hands and rule in ways to end segregation. If they had not passed this law, then it could have taken many more years to stop segregation in colleges and other areas this law would influence to

Furthermore, on August 19, 1958 Clara Luper would have a sit in at Katz Drug Store. She would participate in many more sit-ins and 26 of them would end with her being arrested (8). This is only one of many sit ins and even though it is only one it shows how important the groups of people. They would come together and make a difference to bring attention to their views in order to get more people helping with the movement. Also, many pictures from around the 1950’s show how children also would participate in sit-ins by going in day after day waiting to be served (10). This shows how kids did not leave all the work to the adults. They came together as one and worked to end segregation, so they could have a better life. Although, Oklahoma is not located where the major civil right movement area, Oklahomans helped contribute by: enforcing integration through court rulings, different groups challenging the separate but equal law, and civil disobedience. Even though most people do not associate Oklahoma with the civil rights movement Oklahomans had their own Martin Luther Kind Jr, and Rosa Parks, Clara Luper and Ada Sipuel. Oklahomans may not get much credit but they definitely helped do their