Example of a Walnut Grove story shared by former Councilwoman Willa Johnson in 2015. Watch the entire interview.
Stories needed from people who remember Oklahoma City’s Forgotten Black Communities
Did you live in one of Oklahoma City’s historically Black neighborhoods? The City of Oklahoma City wants to hear your story.
Prior to Oklahoma’s statehood in 1907, several predominantly Black communities were established in what is now the Oklahoma City metro area. The people of these communities included free individuals, formerly enslaved individuals, and Freedmen of Indigenous Tribes. These communities were largely self-sustaining, with their own businesses, resources and more.
The aftermath of urbanization, redlining, and Jim Crow laws led to the removal and eventual destruction of these communities. As a result, most of these communities no longer physically exist in what is present-day Oklahoma City.
