Famous African Americans From Oklahoma

African Americans were living in Oklahoma long before it became a state in 1907. Like many other early African Americans, many were brought to the Oklahoma territory as slaves and were freed at the end of the Civil War. After they gained their freedom, many went on to become homesteaders. Since then, Oklahoma has become home to many famous and historical African Americans who have shaped Oklahoma’s legacy. This Black History Month, take the time to appreciate these people and their stories. 

African American Homeheaders, 1889: Photo courtesy of the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Edward P. McCabe

Edward P. McCabe was an early African American politician who founded the town of Langston, Oklahoma. When the town was first founded, it was an all-black settlement. McCabe advocated for the establishment of more all-black towns. He accomplished this goal, setting up more himself and encouraging others to do the same in the Oklahoma territory and surrounding areas. By the time Oklahoma began a state, there were as many as 50 all-black towns. Some of these were founded before the Civil War, but more were created after the war, when African Americans from other areas in the country had the freedom to move away from the South.

These all-black towns provided a place where African Americans could live without facing discrimination. Sadly, many of these cities did not survive into the 21st century. People moved away and there wasn’t enough of a population to keep them around. Amazingly, McCabe’s Langston is one of the cities that survived to this day.

Charlie Christian

Charlie Christian was a famous jazz musician who spent much of his life in Oklahoma. While he was born in Texas, his family moved to Oklahoma when he was a child, in the early 1920s. As a teenager, he learned how to play guitar and he soon became interested in jazz. 

He rose to fame in Oklahoma, and then around the country. Within a few years, he was working with other big-name musicians, such as Ben Bernie and Duke Ellington. However, his career was short-lived, as he died at age 25 from tuberculosis. Even though he was not on a music scene for long, he made am impression. In 1989, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. 

Alfre Woodard

Looking to more modern famous Oklahomans, Alfre Woodard is a famous actress who was born in Tulsa. She is best known for her roles in Star Trek: First Contact and 12 Years a Slave. She also does a good deal of voice acting, with some of her newest projects being Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and The Lion King (2019). In her long career, she has won over 30 awards and has been nominated for over 80 others.

Along with her acting career, she has also made a name for herself in political activism and charities both in and outside the United States. She helped to co-found the Artists for a New South Africa group, which fights for women’s rights both in various African countries and in the United States.

African Americans have made a name for themselves in Oklahoma and in the world since before Oklahoma was even a state. These are just three of them. This Black History Month, take the time to learn more about African Americans who made a difference.