Local Family Fun
The Oklahoma History Center’s Kerr-McGee Gallery houses the Realizing the Dream exhibit. This exhibit takes Black history beyond the textbook. Your family can be immersed in the lived experiences of Black Oklahomans through life-sized replicas of historical spaces. You can also learn more at home using the OHC’s African American Civil Rights Movement in Oklahoma activity pages at okhistory.org/learn/civilrights7. Visit the historic Freedom Center of Oklahoma City , which was the site of NAACP Youth Council and served as a hub for civil rights activity for many years. Clara Luper served as the Youth Council’s sponsor. Currently, visitors can view the names and images of activists. See how many names you know and learn more about those you don’t. The site will undergo a $25 million restoration to include the future Clara Luper Civil Rights Center. The 5-acre campus will include exhibition and programming areas, a café, welcome center and outdoor and events spaces. At the Federal Judicial Learning Center and Museum in downtown OKC, your family can learn about pivotal Federal court cases, such as OKC Board of Education vs. Dowell, which was tried by the first African American Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall. View artifacts and memorabilia of Black athletes who have been inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame located in Bricktown. At the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum , learn about the role Black soldiers (known as Buffalo Soldiers) played in the U.S. Army. During Black History Month, the museum’s Code of the West: Willie Lusk activity table is a great learning resource. Celebrations & festivals Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be celebrated on Jan. 20 this year. Spend the day attending one of the many events held in OKC to honor the civil rights leader. Celebrate the African American experience with the sights and sounds of the annual MLK parade in downtown OKC . Mark your calendar for the annual Juneteenth on the East celebrations, scheduled for mid-June and held in OKC’s East End district. This family-friendly festival is a celebration of freedom and includes live music, dance performances, art, food and vendors.
SEE HOW MANY CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS YOUR FAMILY RECOGNIZES AT THE FREEDOM CENTER OF OKLAHOMA CITY — THEN LEARN ABOUT THOSE YOU AREN’T FAMILIAR WITH.
THE ANNUAL JUNETEENTH ON THE EAST CELEBRATION IN OKC’S EAST END DISTRICT INCLUDES MUSIC, DANCE, ART, FOOD AND VENDORS.
Year-round resources Explore even more places to celebrate Black history all year long with Visit OKC’s Insider’s Guide at visitokc.com/things-to-do/diverse-okc/ black-okc . Plus, find Black-owned restaurants in OKC at visitokc.com/ restaurants/black-owned-restaurants. Editor’s note: Christina Mushi-Brunt is a former professor turned freelance writer and public health research consultant. Christina, her husband and their three kids reside in Moore, where she is active in the education community.
CELEBRATE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY AT THE ANNUAL PARADE IN DOWNTOWN OKC.
28 Learning Guide
Made with FlippingBook Digital Proposal Creator