Join us for a compelling presentation by Christopher P. Lehman, author of “West Edwards Days: African Americans in Territorial Edmond.” This session highlights the vibrant but often overlooked African American community that developed along West Edwards Street in Edmond during the territorial period. Drawing from historic research published in The Chronicles of Oklahoma, the talk explores themes of opportunity, community building, and race relations on the frontier.

Abstract: Before statehood, Edmond was home to a small but vibrant African American neighborhood. African American families saw Oklahoma Territory as a land of opportunity, free from the codified Jim Crow of the surrounding states. As the territory moved toward statehood, however, it became clear that segregation and restrictions on voting rights would come with it. Christopher P. Lehman describes the nearly forgotten African American community centered around West Edwards Street in territorial Edmond.