Latest news with #KatzDrugStore
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lunch counter sculpture to honor Civil Rights Activist Clara Luper in the heart of downtown
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The life and legacy of Clara Shepard Luper will be on full display in the heart of downtown. A monument is being made in her honor to commemorate the Katz Drug Store sit-in, which was one of the first lunch counter sit-ins in America. The Katz Drug Store Sit-In was led by Clara Luper, a high school history teacher, and the NAACP Youth Council. 100 of the best books by Black Americans Mrs. Luper was born in Okfuskee County in 1923. She was a mother, educator, and mentor to young adults. She was a beacon of strength, courage, and change. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt felt the city needed a permanent tribute to Luper. 'America has always had some serious flaws since its very founding. But also baked into its governing documents, had the the tools to fix those and address those flaws so people like Clara Luper can utilize those tools,' said Mayor Holt. Black-owned barbershop thrives for 50 years as community hub Mrs. Luper's daughter, Marilyn Luper-Hildreth remembers her mother as a dreamer. 'Mom would say, I want you to go places I've never been, and I want you to dream dreams I have never dreamed.' 'She believed that we could achieve anything that we wanted to achieve,' she said. In 1958, Clara Luper led a group of 13 students, including her daughter Marilyn and her son Calvin, to conduct a sit-in at the Katz Drug Store in downtown Oklahoma City, demanding they be served in a climate plagued with segregation. Mayor David Holt believes the 'sit-in' tactic was one of the most important tactics of the civil rights movement throughout the 1960s. 'We need these stories to be told in the places where we all congregate, and obviously downtown is sort of our shared neighborhood for all the people of Oklahoma City,' Mayor Holt said. How trailblazing Black police captain paved the way for change The bronze monument being made in her honor will consist of life-size sculptures and be placed where the Katz Drug Store stood on Robinson Avenue and Main Street. John Kennedy is one of the co-chairs for the plaza, now six years in the making. 'It's a story that we really have overlooked. We haven't really told this story and talked about the success right here in Oklahoma City,' said Kennedy. Members of the committee for the project selected sculptors out of Brooklyn, New York, to create the monument. Local sculptor LaQuincey Reed worked on the project as well. Mrs. Luper-Hildreth said they have a target date for completion in May, with the unveiling to follow. 'They're going to tell a story about a place called Oklahoma City that changed the course of human history. And I'm so glad that the young people in this area, led by my mom, had the nerve enough to do it,' said Mrs. Luper-Hildreth. Members on the committee are: Joyce Jackson, Joyce Henderson, Sam Presti, David Rainbolt, Misty Doney, Leonard Benton, Steve Lackmeyer, Bill Lance, Collin Fleck, John Michhael Williams, Marilyn Luper-Hildreth, Rev. Lee Cooper, and John Kennedy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
24-02-2025
- General
- Axios
Sit-ins, soldiers, a lost district: Des Moines' remarkable Black history
Edna Griffin led one of the nation's first successful civil rights cases in 1948, challenging segregation at Katz Drug Store in Des Moines — seven years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus. Why it matters: While Griffin's fight didn't make national headlines, it forced change in Iowa and helped lay the groundwork for future movements. The big picture: Black History Month is a chance to recognize the local activists whose efforts shaped the broader Civil Rights Movement. While figures like Rosa Parks became household names, grassroots leaders like Griffin made waves in their own communities, driving change that often went unrecognized on a national scale. Flashback: Griffin and two other Black residents were denied service at Katz Drug Store in downtown Des Moines in 1948, per Iowa History Journal. She organized a sit-in, boycotts and protests before eventually taking the owners to court, where a jury found them guilty of practicing racial discrimination and fined them. The Iowa Supreme Court upheld the conviction in 1949, setting a precedent for statewide civil rights cases. Yes, but: A separate civil suit seeking $10,000 in damages led to an all-white jury awarding her $1, which her lawyer described as a "moral victory." Here are two more significant local examples: The Center Street district: A lost Black cultural hub Center Street was a thriving hub for Black businesses, culture and music before urban renewal projects displaced many homes and businesses. Zoom in: The district was adjacent to Sherman Hill and stretched from 15th Street to Keosauqua Way. It included grocery stores, hotels, jazz clubs and restaurants. Freeway construction in the 1960s, part of a federal interstate project, targeted this area and led to disinvestment and Black families being forced to move. State of play: A historical marker was installed near Iowa Methodist Medical Center in 2023. A tiny 110-year-old grocery store near the district was recently designated a historical landmark and turned into offices for Sequel Architecture + Interiors. The training of Black officers at Fort Des Moines Fort Des Moines was the only training site for Black officers during World War I and the first training site for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in World War II. Catch up quick: Black enlistments were restricted by the federal government in the early 1900s due to concerns that racial tensions would undermine military efforts, according to Iowa PBS. Fort DSM was established as a training site for Black officers in 1917 following political pressure from groups like the NAACP. The first WAACs arrived for training in 1942. The big picture: Despite encountering discrimination both within and outside the military, hundreds of officers continued to serve honorably. Fort Des Moines is a crucial historical site, with ongoing efforts to preserve its heritage and educate future generations about its significance in racial integration within the U.S. military. 🔎 Discover more: Iowa PBS offers a collection of videos and websites focused on Iowa's Black history.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Clara Luper resisted Oklahoma City segregation. What change will you make?
History teaches us that the biggest changes often start with the smallest actions. A single voice, a single act of courage, a single refusal to accept injustice — each can ripple outward in ways no one could have predicted. And yet, those ripples don't start on their own. Someone has to be willing to make the first move. This is a testament to the power of small actions in creating meaningful change, giving us hope and optimism for the future. More: How I learned about Clara Luper and another OKC hero | Opinion More than a year before the famous Woolworth's sit-ins, a small group of young people sat down at an Oklahoma City lunch counter and quietly changed history. Led by their teacher, Clara Luper, these students took one small step that became part of a much larger movement. A local high school teacher and civil rights activist, Luper organized the first sit-in at Katz Drug Store in 1958. At the time, segregation was the norm. Black customers could shop in stores but were not allowed to sit and eat at the lunch counters. Luper and her students believed that needed to change. They didn't carry signs or shout in protest. Instead, they walked in, sat down and asked for service. They were ignored. They were insulted. But they did not move. Their silent resistance lasted for days. Slowly, public pressure built and, eventually, Katz Drug Stores desegregated all of its locations. One action in one city. A handful of determined teenagers. A teacher with a vision. And yet, that sit-in helped lay the foundation for the lunch counter protests that would spread across the South in the 1960s, shaping the civil rights movement as we know it today. Opinion: Black professionals can succeed despite Trump. Here's how. Clara Luper understood something powerful, and it's a lesson we desperately need today: We don't have to wait for permission to demand change. We don't need an army to make a difference. Sometimes, all it takes is stepping forward, even when others hesitate. Her work wasn't about making grand speeches but about taking action, however small, and inspiring others to do the same. This Black History Month, Clara Luper's story reminds us that history is not made by just prominent people — it's shaped by everyday folk willing to take a stand. This recognition of the role of ordinary individuals in shaping history should make us all feel valued and important in the fight for justice. These lessons are becoming increasingly important these days. Too many of our elected officials are purposefully seeking attention through outrage so they can gain political power for themselves. Too often, the cost of that notoriety comes at the expense of communities that have been historically and purposefully marginalized. In difficult times like this, we must remember that change begins with small acts of courage. Whether it's speaking up in a meeting, helping a neighbor, or challenging unfair policies, we all have opportunities to make a difference. Clara Luper and her students didn't set out to change the world in one day. They simply sat down at a lunch counter and refused to move. That's how change happens — one small step at a time. My question to you: What small step will you take today? Angela Monson is a former member of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives and currently is the legislative and outreach director for the Oklahoma Policy Institute and its grassroots advocacy program, Together Oklahoma. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City's Clara Luper set an example to follow | Opinion
