09/10/2024
MUSKOGEE WELCOMES THE SECOND BLACK TOWN OF OKLSHOMA BIKE TOUR RIDERS.
On Saturday, September 21st, Muskogee will welcome bike riders for the Second Annual Black Town of Oklahoma Bike Tour event. The last of the historic all Black Towns that once were plentiful across the Oklahoma landscape. A phenomenon that occurred primarily after the Civil War, when thousands of African Americans came to Oklahoma in search of opportunity for a new life free of the still oppressive attitude that dominated the formerly Confederate states. Met by a large number of Freedmen (former slaves of Native tribes that had been relocated to Oklahoma Territory) and Black Indians, the progeny of Native and African unions, the ex-slave migrants formed alliances with their new neighbors and built prosperous towns that included schools, banks, post offices, restaurants, hotels, busy attorneys, real estate developers, farmers, ranchers, cotton gins and more. From east to west and north to south more than seventy communities of color developed. More than fifty were recognized towns with sizable populations. On the eastern side of the State the town of Muskogee, the Twin Territories gateway city, boasted a large African American middleclass with deep Creek and Cherokee tribal roots. Thus, Muskogee became an important trading partner with the Black Towns and communities within a fifty-mile radius of the city. That relationship created the Nation’s first Black Wall Street, the Second Street District of Muskogee. An area whose vast wealth helped to create the wealth of the Tulsa Greenwood District. Today, only thirteen of those historically all Black Towns remain. The Bike ride, which will begin at Muskogee’s Three Rivers Museum and Heritage Center will take participants to their choice of the once all Black towns of Taft, Rentiesville, Summit, Red Bird and Tullahassee. Interested riders can go online to Black Towns of Oklahoma Bike Tour to register for this fun event. A welcome Reception for Bike Riders is planned for Friday, September 20th at 6pm in Muskogee’s Historic ROXY Theater and will include a special showing of the movie STRUGGLE AND HOPE. Produced by Professor Kari Barber, this heartwarming documentary explores the growth of these communities and the struggles of their descendants to keep their history and cities alive. The Welcome Reception and movie presentation are free and open to the public and is sponsored by the ROXY Theater and Legacy Keepers R Us.
