The Civil Rights Movement

One can argue that the modern civil rights movement received its first big boosts from the United States Supreme Court. Events in Oklahoma were involved. Problems resulted because state law conflicted with previous Supreme Court decisions coming out of Missouri and Texas. In those cases the court ruled that black students could enter all-white schools if no black school within the state offered programs that they wanted. But, in Oklahoma, it was illegal to allow blacks to attend white schools. In the case of the University of Oklahoma, the university tried to conform to state law, which mandated that segregation be maintained, and also to conform with the Supreme Court�s earlier rulings.

Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher graduated from Langston University and wanted to pursue a law degree which was not offered by the the all-black school. She was denied entrance to the law school at the University of Oklahoma and subsequently sued the Board of Regents. In 1948, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Sipuel vs. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma that the state had to provide an education of equal opportunity for all students. As a result, the Board of Regents quickly set up law school for Langston University. She refused to attend that law school contending it was not of equal status as the law school at the University of Oklahoma. When it became apparent that the state would face another lawsuit, she was admitted to the University of Oklahoma. However, she was still segregated from the rest of the students. 

The segregation of University students was tested again by George McLaurin, an African-American instructor at Langston A&M College. He wanted to get a graduate degree for which no black school in the state offered the program that he wished to pursue. So, he applied for admission to the all-white University of Oklahoma.  The university administration accepted McLaurin as a student. But administrators segregated him in all ways possible once he was on campus. For example, in classes his seat was railed off or roped off. This was "symbolic" segregation. In the library he had one table reserved for him alone, but he could sit at no other. One men�s room on campus was reserved for him, but he could go in no other. He could eat in the campus cafeteria but only by himself at a time that white students were not being served. McLaurin and his attorneys, from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), refused to accept the university�s arrangement. So did the Supreme Court. In 1950, the court delivered a ruling in McLaurin vs. Oklahoma that stated that the school must accept McLaurin on a basis of equality, with access to all of the University's facilities.

Governor Raymond Gary, who served from 1955 to 1959, was a key figure in Oklahoma�s civil rights movement. For example, he arranged for the peaceful integration of the state�s public schools. Publicly, he made it clear that he supported the movement. He thereby "won over" many whites who also believed the time had come for desegregation. He integrated all state offices at the capitol. He integrated the Oklahoma National Guard. Gary refused to attend any public function that was segregated. While traveling around the state, he refused to stay in hotels that segregated the races. He would not eat in a restaurant that practiced segregation. He also encouraged the work of Clara Luper, a black heroine of the Oklahoma civil rights movement.

The work of people like Luper and Governor Gary eventually led to the famous Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voter Registration Act of 1965. President Lyndon B. Johnson pushed both through congress in an attempt to give everyone equal rights. Under the civil rights acts, segregation was forbidden in all places of public accommodation, restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, sports events and the like. The acts protected a person�s right to vote, created equality on the job market and provided penalties for anyone who violated the civil rights of others. In addition, the Open Housing Law of 1968 forbade discrimination in the buying, selling or renting of a home. 

Oklahoma�s Native Americans also benefited from the civil rights movement. The new laws protected them just as the laws protected blacks and other minorities. Indians demanded respect for their ancient religion and their folkways. Plus, they demanded and received money payments for past wrongs.

Additional Resources

Study Guide Questions:

1. When George McLaurin was first admitted to the University of Oklahoma, how was he treated?
2. How did the Supreme Court rule in McLaurin vs. Oklahoma?
3. How was Governor Gary important to the civil rights movement in our state?
4. Why was Clara Luper important to Oklahoma�s civil rights movement? When did she start the sit-in movement?
5. How did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voter Registration Act of 1965 contribute to the cause of racial equality in America?

Vocabulary

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