[Studying Okie]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

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The original land run was central Oklahoma. The one you referenced was the Cherokee strip run. There was a run for the Cheyenne Arapaho lands. Those were the biggies. Oklahoma had a total of 7 land runs. The other 4 being much smaller areas bordering the eastern and northern edges of the original land run in central Oklahoma for the most part.

The land runs occurred between 1889 and 1895. Much of southwestern Oklahoma was parceled off by lottery which brought people from all over as well.

I was wrong in including central Oklahoma in my definition of Northwest Oklahoma. More accurately the Northern half of Oklahoma Territory was settled by land runs. This is pretty much just Oklahoma City, Stillwater, and Northwest Oklahoma.

My understanding is that the land lottery area was settled primarily by people from Texas. Old Greer County was already settled by Texans (who migrated from other parts of the South) the previous decade.

The Indian Territory half of Oklahoma was a very different situation altogether.

Here's the Oklahoma Historical Society's article on Settlement patterns: SETTLEMENT PATTERNS

[Studying Okie]

Originally Posted by swake

A very large demographic difference between Oklahoma and the south is the relative lack of African Americans, especially rural African Americans. Oklahoma is only 7.4% black, our largest minority groups are Hispanic and Native American.
This map shows the difference:

Very true. Oklahoma has a markedly smaller sized African-American community than the Deep South States, however, Oklahoma's African-American history strongly resembles the rest of the South.

Until 1866 (not 1865) slavery was present in what would later become Oklahoma. Once Oklahoma became a state the first thing it enacted was a segregation law. "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" was written by a freed Choctaw slave. Oklahomans Ralph Ellison and Clara Luper were important figures to the Civil Rights Movement. There's a lot to African-American history in Oklahoma.

edit:http://digital.library.okstate.edu/e...s/s/se017.html
This article talks about the politics of the first Jim Crow law in Oklahoma.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by Studying Okie

Very true. Oklahoma has a markedly smaller sized African-American community than the Deep South States, however, Oklahoma's African-American history strongly resembles the rest of the South.

Until 1866 (not 1865) slavery was present in what would later become Oklahoma. Once Oklahoma became a state the first thing it enacted was a segregation law. "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" was written by a freed Choctaw slave. Oklahomans Ralph Ellison and Clara Luper were important figures to the Civil Rights Movement. There's a lot to African-American history in Oklahoma.

edit:SENATE BILL ONE
This article talks about the politics of the first Jim Crow law in Oklahoma.

Also, Oklahoma is unique in the early settlement of African American communities. there were a number of them at statehood, most notably Boley, Greenpastures and Langston. These towns were mostly found in the NE and SW portions of Oklahoma. What rural AAs we have in Oklahoma are generally found in the areas where these old towns existed.

[Rubi3]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

Also, Oklahoma is unique in the early settlement of African American communities. there were a number of them at statehood, most notably Boley, Greenpastures and Langston. These towns were mostly found in the NE and SW portions of Oklahoma. What rural AAs we have in Oklahoma are generally found in the areas where these old towns existed.

When I lived in the very small town of Healdton, I was told there were no African Americans living there because at one time they had to be out of town by sunset and had never moved in. That was a long time ago.

[teakboat]

Originally Posted by southernbythegraceofgod

I couldn't disagree with this statement more. So would you say that Nashville is drastically different from Tulsa?? IMO Nashville and Tulsa are VERY similar in many, MANY ways. Nashville and Chicago are very, VERY different on so many different levels its ridiculous. Settlement patters happened horizontally not vertically (hence why the south is so strikingly similar for the most part across the region). In fact, most families in Oklahoma have strong roots in states like Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, and the Carolinas. This comment is mind blowing to me.

But, I never said that Tulsa is Southwestern. I agree, Nashville and Tulsa are fairly similar... I have lived in both.

Like I have said, in my opinion, Tulsa seems to be more or less half southern and half midwestern. Most of the rest of eastern OK is MOL southern. But it is not overtly southern like MS, AL, GA or LA. It is a watered down southern.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by Rubi3

When I lived in the very small town of Healdton, I was told there were no African Americans living there because at one time they had to be out of town by sunset and had never moved in. That was a long time ago.

Healdton is on this list of Sundown Towns.

http://sundown.afro.illinois.edu/sun...w.php?state=OK

[Rubi3]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

Healdton is on this list of Sundown Towns.

http://sundown.afro.illinois.edu/sun...w.php?state=OK

Thanks for the link... interesting site. It mentions that Democrats are responsible for the Sundown Towns. Ironic since most African Americans are Democrats if they are registered to vote.

[Studying Okie]

Originally Posted by Rubi3

Thanks for the link... interesting site. It mentions that Democrats are responsible for the Sundown Towns. Ironic since most African Americans are Democrats if they are registered to vote.

Before the Civil Rights Act in 1964 the Democratic Party dominated this region of the country. Oklahoma is considered to have been a part of the "Solid South", which basically was a term derived from Southern states almost always voting Democrat in national and local elections.

"Dixiecrats", or the States' Rights Democratic Party, were an offshoot of the Democrats whose main issue was maintaining segregation in the South. The first convention was in Birmingham, Alabama, but the second one was held in Oklahoma City.

"Unanimously Adopted at Oklahoma City, August 14, 1948"

To this day there are still more registered Democrats in Oklahoma than Republicans, despite the fact that Oklahoma is a staunchly "red state". The Northwestern portion of the state, which was mostly settled by people from the Midwest, was the only region of the state where the Republican Party was stronger than the Democratic Party.

Graph of Voter registration in Oklahoma

[Rubi3]

Originally Posted by Studying Okie

Before the Civil Rights Act in 1964 the Democratic Party dominated this region of the country. Oklahoma is considered to have been a part of the "Solid South", which basically was a term derived from Southern states almost always voting Democrat in national and local elections.

"Dixiecrats", or the States' Rights Democratic Party, were an offshoot of the Democrats whose main issue was maintaining segregation in the South. The first convention was in Birmingham, Alabama, but the second one was held in Oklahoma City.

"Unanimously Adopted at Oklahoma City, August 14, 1948"

To this day there are still more registered Democrats in Oklahoma than Republicans, despite the fact that Oklahoma is a staunchly "red state". The Northwestern portion of the state, which was mostly settled by people from the Midwest, was the only region of the state where the Republican Party was stronger than the Democratic Party.

Graph of Voter registration in Oklahoma

I grew up in "Little Dixie," so am aware of how it was. The day we moved to Perry OK, we'd heard about it being a Republican town and while we driving downtown, our young son made the observation, "the people don't look any different from anyone else." I'm not sure what he'd conjured up in his mind that a Republican would resemble, but they were supposed to look different. It became one of our family jokes. I'm like many voters in that I'm a registered Democrat, but I do not necessarily stamp the rooster. I vote for the individual. I'm not an extremist of either side and can see the good and bad of it all.

[Studying Okie]

Originally Posted by Rubi3

I grew up in "Little Dixie," so am aware of how it was. The day we moved to Perry OK, we'd heard about it being a Republican town and while we driving downtown, our young son made the observation, "the people don't look any different from anyone else." I'm not sure what he'd conjured up in his mind that a Republican would resemble, but they were supposed to look different. It became one of our family jokes. I'm like many voters in that I'm a registered Democrat, but I do not necessarily stamp the rooster. I vote for the individual. I'm not an extremist of either side and can see the good and bad of it all.

I apologize for preaching to the choir!

I definitely do feel like there's levels of "Southerness", and I've only lived in a couple places in Oklahoma, but I feel there's a difference between Oklahoma south of i-40 and north of 1-40 in my opinion.