Vol. 11, Issue 2 Dr. Jeanne Ramirez Mather, Ed. March 2009 When Politics and The The History Behind Oklahoma’s Black Towns Olympics Collide While supposedly the The development of Black former slaves began receiving land took part in the Oklahoma Land Olympics are apolitical, in towns in America took place allotments from the tribes. In ad- Run to secure property and reality politics have been predominantly between 1865 dition, many freed slaves fled from make a homestead. One exam- woven throughout Olympic and 1920. What constitutes an the Deep South to Oklahoma to ple of this was Edwin P. history in a variety of ways. “all-Black town?” One that escape the rigid Jim Crow Laws. McCabe, a former state auditor The first recorded Olympic has at least two of the follow- That is not to say that of Kansas, a land developer and Games are generally accepted ing criteria: Black founder(s); Oklahomans were particularly speculator, an attorney, a news- to have occurred in 776 B.C.E. governance led by Black offi- open-minded, but they had not paper owner, politician, and The Olympics, 776 B.C.E. to cials; predominantly Black legislated formal Jim Crow Laws Oklahoma immigration pro- 393 A.D., were celebrated as a population and/or a Black at this time perhaps in part because moter. He was instrumental in religious festival, until Roman postmaster. During the afore- Oklahoma was not yet a state. As founding the town of Langston Emperor Theodosius banned mentioned time, about fifty a result ,African Americans in and providing the initial land them for being a “pagan” festi- identifiable Black towns and/or upon which Langston Univer- val. i.e., celebrating the Greek settlements were created in sity was established. god Zeus was abhorred by the Oklahoma, significantly more Sadly, the dreams of the Christians. Originally, only than in any other part of the freedman were threatened when free-born Greek men were al- nation. By 1890, Oklahoma “Alfalfa” Bill Murray, a very lowed to compete, no women had over 137,000 African racist individual, took an active or foreigners. Obviously poli- American residents living in all role in Oklahoma politics. He tics would later force a change. Black towns. Thus, Oklahoma Oklahoma/Indian Territory were led the Oklahoma’s Constitu- The games tended to not only played a somewhat unique part able to own land and businesses, tional Convention, served as be sexist but elitist as well. in U.S. History. as well as vote. Speaker of the Oklahoma House Men were required to have Why did Black towns Why would they chose to start of Representatives, served as a trained for at least ten months spring up during this time? up an all Black town, instead of U.S. Representative, and even- prior to the games, something Obviously the timing implies a just moving into an existing town? tually became governor of only the upper class could af- connection to the ending of the Part of it had to do with the former Oklahoma in 1930. He played a ford. On a different political Civil War. In fact the Emanci- Indian slaves, who often were pivotal role in promoting some note, apparently the various pation Proclamation in 1863 members of large families or of the first laws passed by the Greece city-states were con- and the Reconstruction Trea- clans, and would choose to take newly empowered Oklahoma stantly at war with each other, ties of 1866 both helped to their land congruently, thereby Legislature following statehood so when it was time for the instigate the founding of Black lending itself to a new town. in 1907—Jim Crow Laws. games, a truce of a month was towns. Initially many of the Freed slaves from the South had a Added to this “one drop” of called. settlers were former slaves of different motivation, many wanted Negro blood rule, and the The first modern Olympic Indians (or descendants of to prove that Blacks could success- Grandfather Clause which be- Games were held in 1896 in former slaves) who the Recon- fully settle a town and govern came law in 1910 most of the Athens, and women were still struction Treaty said must be themselves without help from Black citizens of Oklahoma not allowed to compete. The treated as members of the tribe. Whites. were disenfranchised. That father of the modern Olympic Thus, starting in 1898, the Some of the African Americans (Continued on page 4) Games, de Coubertin, is cred- ited as stating that the inclu- Table of Contents sion of women would be “impractical, uninteresting, The History of Oklahoma’s Black Towns, When Politics and The Olympics Collide 1 unaesthetic, and incorrect.” In Olympic Trivia 2 addition he said ,“Women have but one task, that of crowning Literature Connection; When is a Doctor Not a Doctor? 3 (Continued on page 3) Incan Communication 4 USAO’s Classroom Spice Olympic Trivia 2010 being the year of the Olympic Winter Games held in Canada, it seems an appropriate venue to look at Olympics Trivia. See how many of the following facts you can match up with their correct answer. Not all answers are used, and some could be used more than once. Check answers on page 4. ___ 1. This was the first event in which women A. 0 competed. B. 1 C. 2 ___2. In 1900, he was the first Black athlete to D. 3 compete at the Olympics. E. 4 F. 55 ___ 3. Charlotte Cooper was the first woman to win G. 60 an Olympic event, and did it in this event. H. 65 I. 70 ___ 4. This Ethiopian barefoot marathon runner J. 75 was the first Black African to win a gold K. Britain medal in this year. L. France M. The Netherlands ___ 5. This Greek gymnast was the youngest ever N. USA modern Olympian. O. Croquet P. Equestrian ___ 6. Winner of the triple jump, the athlete from Q. Rowing this country was the first Olympic champion R. Sailing of the modern Olympic games. S. Swimming T. Tennis ____7. In 1928, women were allowed to compete U. 500m for the first time in track and field events, V. 800m but so many collapsed at the end of this race W. 1000m that the event was banned until 1960. X. Abebe Bikila Y. Constantin Henriquez de Zubiera ___ 8. While women competed in swimming events Z. Dimitrios Loundras for the first time in 1912, this country was not represented as it would not allow its fe- male athletes to compete in events without long skirts. ____9. There are this many Olympic sports which allow men and women to compete against each other. ___10. At age 30 this woman won four gold medals (three individual and a team) for this country in the 1948 Olympics. She also held world records in two other events (high and long jumps), but was prohibited in competing in more than 3 individual events. ___11. Lorna Johnstone, at this age, was the oldest woman ever to compete at an Olympic Games. 2 USAO’s Classroom Spice (Politics and The Olympics—cont’d from page 1) The Literature Connection the winner with garlands.” Politics would soon intervene, not only in terms To start the literature review, a look at a While it may seem like a PRE-K book because of who could participate, but who wonderful website is in order. The National of the topic, some of the vocabulary is a bit would participate. Education Association (NEA) has several challenging and would lend itself more toward Boycotts and other political events lists of titles for children K-12. To access first or even second grade. have happened several times in the last the “50 Multicultural Books Every Child For middle school and older students, Ann fifty plus years. The 1956 Olympics in Should Read” go to http://www.nea.org/ Rinaldi’s fictionalized biography, Hang a Australia were boycotted by 1)Egypt, grants/29510.htm; for the “African- Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Lebanon, and Iraq as a result of the American Booklist” go to http:// Phillis Wheatley, ISBN 0-15-200877-2, is a Suez Crisis; 2) Lichtenstein, the Neth- www.nea.org/grants/13542.htm; for the wonderful historical novel about a young erlands, Spain, and Sweden over the “Asian-American Booklist” go to http:// Senegal girl who was kidnapped in 1761 and Soviet invasion of Hungary; and 3) The www.nea.org/grants/29506.htm; for the brought to America where she was bought by a People’s Republic of China because “Native American Booklist” go to wealthy Boston family. She quickly The Republic of China (Taiwan) was http://www.nea.org/ became more than a slave, and through allowed to participate. In 1964 the grants/29498.htm; and for the determination learned to read and International Olympic Committee “Bilingual Booklist-Lectura Re- write, and the Wheatley family discov- banned the participation of South Af- comendada” go to http:// ers she has a unique gift for writing rica because of its apartheid regime. www.nea.org/grants/29504.htm. poetry. And was able to develop a Ten days before the 1968 Olympics in You will find a plethora of titles to talent in writing poetry. The book fol- Mexico, Mexican students protested chose from offering an exciting way to ex- lows her struggles in getting published the first their government resulting in 267 stu- pose children to other cultures. book of poetry written by an American Negro dents killed and over a thousand in- A great book Market Days: From Mar- woman.

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