From musicians to activists, here are 7 influential Black Oklahomans to learn about this month

Yahoo

07-02-2025

Black history is a core part of American history in many ways. The evidence is almost everywhere, from the economic and social contributions of the Black community to the country.
Oklahoma's Black history is no exception.
From abolitionists to civil rights leaders, from artists to entrepreneurs, from inventors to politicians, many Oklahomans have left indelible marks on the state and the nation as a whole.
Here are some of the most notable and influential Black Oklahomans to learn about:
This list in no way encompasses all of the Black Oklahomans who have made a difference for others and paved the way for future generations. Know of someone else we should add to this list? Email us at [e-mail].
Clara Luper is hailed as one of Oklahoma City's greatest civil rights movement leaders.
In 1958, Luper used her position on the NAACP Youth Council to help lead a sit-in at Katz Drugstore in downtown Oklahoma City. The protest came just two years before the sit-in in Greensboro, North Carolina, which is often heralded as the start of the movement.
More: She participated in sit-ins and was OKC's first Black female TV journalist. Her work isn't done yet
With the success that followed, Katz and several other restaurants desegregated before the city deemed segregation illegal in 1964.
Luper died on June 8, 2011.
Women's rights activist Anita Hill grew up on a small farm in Lone Tree. A product of Oklahoma State and Yale, she would practice law in the nation's capital. Her career was put in the spotlight when Hill came forward to allege Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas had sexually harassed her.
Following her testimony, Thomas was still appointed to the nation's bench; Hill, however, did not stop there. As the University of Oklahoma's first tenured Black professor, she continued to teach at the law college.
More: This new app gives a unique tour of Oklahoma's Black history
Following the trial, Hill maintained a relatively low profile until around 2017, when she was asked to serve on the Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace.
His name is Charlie, last name Wilson. Or maybe you know him as Uncle Charlie. Either way, his music has cemented him as one of the best in the game.
The twice-named Top Adult Male R&B Artist (2009 and 2020) got his start in the Gap Band with his brothers Ronnie and Robert. The three Tulsa natives had a substantial discography from 1970 to just before the turn of the century.
When the group separated, Charlie had a successful career, collaborating with Bruno Mars, Pharrell Williams, Nas and others. Charlie is the lone surviving member of the band; Robert died on Aug. 15, 2010, and Ronnie on Nov. 2, 2021.
University of Oklahoma alum Lee Roy Selmon was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first-ever draft pick in the NFL. Selmon, born in Eufaula, Oklahoma, was the first overall pick in the 1976 NFL Draft and among the first to earn the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Selmon eventually earned the first Ring of Honor for the Buccaneers in 2009 and is still regarded as 'the original Buccaneer.' Selmon died Sept. 4, 2011.
In a time when the University of Oklahoma wouldn't allow Black students to attend their graduate school, Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher became the school's first Black student at the law school.
Fisher set a standard for Oklahoma's civil rights movement and received numerous humanitarian awards. The Smithsonian Institute recognized her as one of the 150 most outstanding Black women who changed American history.
In an interview with the Oklahoman, she said "My driving force was that I believed in democracy and citizenship according to my concept that citizens require equality of treatment. I thrive on adversity. If you tell me I can't do that, I'm going to do it. Was it worth it? Most certainly yes. Would I do it again? Yes.'
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Black History Month: 7 influential Oklahomans to know