The Life of Clara Luper:
A Pioneer of the American Civil Rights Movement
A President's Office Gallery Exhibit
This exhibit was on display from February 2, 2021 to August 7, 2021.
Please visit our Special Exhibits page to see what is currently on display!
Clara Luper (1923-2011) was born and raised in Jim Crow era-Oklahoma and felt firsthand the racial discrimination and injustice that pervaded society. Through her activism with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and her work as a history educator she spent her life combatting racism and segregation in Oklahoma and the United States. Her tireless efforts helped not only to desegregate public accommodations in Oklahoma, but to improve cooperation and understanding between all Oklahomans, Black and White alike, and her legacy lives on today.
The museum exhibit utilizes archival material to present a timeline of Luper's life and accomplishments, while the virtual exhibit provides more historical information. As you explore, consider her impact on the Civil Rights movement both in Oklahoma and the United States.
Background Photo: Photo by Tony Wood, of "Freedom Fiesta" marchers honoring Clara Luper in a parade," August 16, 1969. Courtesy Oklahoma Historical Society.