Historic sit-in demonstration in Oklahoma City commemorated with reenactment

"We made it!"

Longtime civil rights activist Marilyn Luper Hildreth shouted the triumphant announcement on Saturday during a reenactment of the historic Oklahoma City NAACP Youth Council sit-in demonstration against Jim Crow era segregation.

On Aug. 19, 1958, Hildreth and 12 other Black youths were led by her mother Clara Luper to march to the whites-only Katz Drug Store and sit at the counter until they were served. Saturday's reenactment of the historic sit-in demonstration included a brief welcome and prayer at Frontline Church followed by a march to the Kaiser's Grateful Bean Café.

Saturday's event was one of the activities included in the Freedom Fiesta, the annual commemoration and celebration of the start of the Luper-led Oklahoma City sit-in movement that successfully integrated Oklahoma City restaurants, eateries and other establishments.

"I'm so excited and 64 years later, here I am still walking," Hildreth said, addressing youths sitting in the church pews. "We are hear today because we didn't want you to go through what we went through. We wanted you to be able to eat at any restaurant you want."

Once marchers entered the café, Hildreth and other adults who participated in the sit-ins stood behind the counter to face 13 Black youths who were chosen as representatives of the original demonstrators. The youths sat on bar stools much like their older counterparts did in 1958. They seemed to listen intently as Hildreth urged them to remember that the opportunities they enjoy came as a result of Luper and young activists who paved the way for them.

She also told them and others in the restaurant that social justice efforts for equality must go on.

"The struggle continues − we're not free until we're all free," Hildreth said. "Our whole democracy is at stake now. If you don't learn nothing else from the sit-inners, you must vote and teach your children to vote."

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt told that crowd that it is important to continue to tell the story of Clara Luper, a school teacher and NAACP Youth Council advisor who led a generation of African American youths to participate in the the nonviolent sit-ins.

"Telling the story is a significant part of the journey," he said.

He noted the many ways Oklahoma City is "telling the story" including the naming of a post office in Luper's honor, a feat orchestrated by former U.S. Congresswoman Kendra Horn, D-Oklahoma City, who sponsored the bill to designate the facility at 305 NW 5 as the Clara Luper Post Office; the Oklahoma City School District's decision to pay homage to Luper with the naming of its Clara Luper Educational Center; the Clara Luper Sit-in Plaza being developed in downtown Oklahoma City; and the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center to be constructed in northeast Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City rapper and activist Jabee Williams also talked before the event ended with a prayer from the Rev. Derrick Scobey. Standing beside Hildreth, he said he saw social media posts that seemed to be grumblings about the reenactment focusing on the injustice and negativity of segregation.

"But it's not about watching all the bad stuff that happened," he said. "It's about honoring the people who went through it. It's about celebrating the lives of everybody you see up here because theirs are the shoulders that we stand on. So I want us to remember that."

Jherimya Cross, 13, of Oklahoma City, said he was honored to represent one of the 13 original sit-inners who took bold steps to transform their community for the better.

"It feels really amazing to be a part of such a big thing," he said. "You know, out of all the things they went through, I can reenact that and be part of the family, part of the group. It's just a blessing."

His mother Tia Cross said she was watching her son with pride.

"I'm happy that he was just able to symbolize and stand in for one of the originals," she said. "It's important to me for him to know his Black history and where we come from and the struggles that other people went through so that he could have the ability to be able to just go wherever he wants and sit down and eat or whatever, with no segregation. So, I'm proud of him for wanting to be a part of something like this."

Many members of Saturday's reenactment crowd were treated to ice cream, along with "swag bags" from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Some received commemorative T-shirts that also came from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Freedom Fiesta will continue on Sunday, with a Freedom Fiesta Celebration Program set for 6 p.m. at Fifth Street Baptist Church, where the Rev. A. Byron Coleman is pastor. The Rev. Bryan Carter of Dallas will be the program's guest speaker. The event is free and open to the public.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Historic sit-in demonstration in OKC commemorated with reenactment