Celebrate Black History Month
African American history and culture is richly interwoven with Guthrie! Come learn
more about some of the events, sites, and people that make Guthrie, Oklahoma unique.
Local Events
Taste & Tell Cookoff
Doors open at 11:30 a.m., February 1, 2020
Logan County Fairgrounds, 1201 S. Division St., Guthrie, OK 73044
This event features delicious handmade foods and more from churches and organizations in Guthrie and Logan County! Come taste local favorites and tell your friends. A $10 donation per person is requested to attend and dine. This event is produced through and benefiting the Logan County N.A.A.C.P.
Contact Evelyn Nephew at 405-282-2083 or Angie Copeland at 405-282-5039 for additional information.
Photo provided by Logan Co. NAACP
Crowns Tea
From 1:00-3:00 p.m. on February 22, 2020
Guthrie Public Library, 201 N. Division St., Guthrie, OK 73044
This event celebrates the rich tradition of church hats in the African American community, and is a tribute to "Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats" by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry. Registration is free, but due to limited space, attendees must register and are asked to wear a church-appropriate hat.
Call Guthrie Public Library at 405-282-0050 for registration or additional information.
Photo by Emmy Verdin Photography
Important Sites
323 S. 2nd St., Guthrie, Oklahoma
This is the site of the first African American library in Oklahoma and the Midwest, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Founded by Judith Carter Horton in 1908, the original library occupied a house. The current brick building was built in 1954 and opened in 1955, and contains two rooms housing 5,000 books and a larger community room with a stage for meetings. In 1967, desegregation combined libraries in the community.
The Friends of the Excelsior Library Foundation are currently evaluating the building for potential rehabilitation.
Photo provided by Shelton's Photography & Design
1021 E. Perkins Ave., Guthrie, OK 73044
Faver High School was established in 1906, and is named for Logan County Commissioner Stonewall J. Faver, who donated the building. The school was originally located Grant Street, but was moved to its current location in 1951.
The school was desegregated in May of 1967, and currently operates as an alternative school for the Guthrie school district.
The Elbow
West of S. 5th Street and South of W. Cleveland Ave.
Guthrie, Oklahoma
Nestled in the crook of the Cottonwood Creek, The Elbow was settled by black pioneers during the Land Run of 1889. Also called "Little Africa", the area featured streets, parks, churches, and other facilities to support the residents. However, the area was subject to frequent flooding, and after desegregation, was abandoned and eventually condemned.
The area is not presently accessible, but the City of Guthrie and the Guthrie Collaborative community group is currently working with other organizations to develop a recreational and multi-use trails plan through The Elbow.
12 miles east of Guthrie along Highway 33 (Noble Ave.)
Langston was settled as a black town in 1891, and is named for U.S. Representative John Mercer Langston of Virginia.
In 1897, the town established the Colored Agricultural and Normal University of Oklahoma, today known as Langston University. It remains an active town yet today.
Today, Langston University has locations in Langston, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa, and offers over 30 degree programs from the Associate's to the Doctoral level.
Iconic People
From History...
James Herman Banning
Aviator & Adventurer, 1899-1933
This Faver High School graduate, along with cohort Thomas Allen completed a historic transcontinental flight from Los Angeles, California to Long Island, New York, from September to October 1932.
Photo Source: WikiCommons/U.S. Air Force
Edward P. McCabe
Politician and Activist, 1850-1920
Kansan Edward McCabe advocated for black settlement of the state of Oklahoma. He served as Treasurer of Logan County, Oklahoma, and became one of the founders of the town of Langston.
Brig. General T. L. Daniels
A Late Great...
Philanthropist & Community Advocate, 1947-2016
Brig. Gen. T.L. Daniels served as on-scene commander for rescue and recovery in the wake of the 1995 Murrah Bombing. He was the driving force behind the creation of an annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner in Guthrie, and also worked as an advocate for minority students to enter careers in aviation.
Photo Source: C. Evans, Guthrie News Page
For more Info. & Resources
Logan County NAACP
P.O. Box 428
Guthrie, OK 73044
(405) 282-1184
P. O. Box 1512
Guthrie, OK 73044
(405) 282-6000 ex 6
406 E Oklahoma Ave.
Guthrie, OK 73044
(405) 282-1889
Faver High School Alumni Association
P.O. Box 1121
Guthrie, OK 73044
(405) 293-6386
P.O. Box 1256
Langston, OK 73050
(405) 466-2271
PO Box 1500
Langston, OK 73050
1.877.466.2231
800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
405-521-2491
P.O. Box 25125
Oklahoma City, OK 73125
405-475-3311
A special thanks to City Manager Leroy Alsup of the City of Guthrie, Erin Brown of the Oklahoma Territorial Museum, the staff of Guthrie Public Library, and Logan County NAACP for sharing information.