Freedom Center/Clara Luper Civil Rights Center

[shawnw]

I didn't see a dedicated thread on this. Learned some things at the NE OKC Town Hall so sharing.

For the freedom center they've raised private funds and are attempting to re-open by August 2022.

For the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center, which they said would be a "Smithsonian caliber development" will go to design by 2023, start construction by 2024, and be completed by 2026.

more info and better view of the drawings at freedomcenterokc.org

[DoctorTaco]

Shawn what is your takeaway on the different purposes/goals of the two centers?

[Laramie]

Remembering Clara Luper

I remember this iconic and powerful woman. She spoke in a very forceful tone.

Recall a night when I joined the cause in the late 60s. We were protesting the City allowing former Alabama Governor George Wallace to speak at Civic Center Music Hall after they had denied H. 'Rap' Brown use of the same facility.

Anxious and excited I recall sitting in front of the huge Music Hall only to have a protester SPIT on me. 'I lost it, never in my life had anyone spit on me. Got up and struck him in the face only to have Mr. E. Melvin Porter and Mr. Archibald Hill quickly pull me off this race hater--I was sent home; my mother didn't allow me to attend any more marches, sit ins or demonstrations because she told me I wasn't able to conduct myself in a matter so important to the 'non violent' and the adults in charge.

Later, I saw the endurance it took to turn the other cheek and to wipe away the fitly saliva excreted from someone mouth you didn't know. It took years for me to appreciate the patience it took to carry the weight of that torch.

Clara Luper was a giant with a life and legacy that will live on. Attended the funeral services for Clara Mae Shepard Luper held on June 17, 2011 at the Cox Convention Center.

.

[Laramie]

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

Laramie,
"Later, I saw the endurance it took to turn the other cheek and to wipe away the fitly saliva excreted from someone mouth you didn't know. It took years for me to appreciate the patience it took to carry the weight of that torch."

That was a very powerful and moving statement, I don't know how else I would have put it into words. Or handled the situation differently.
Thank you for sharing that.

[Pete]

A building permit has been filed for this project.

FREEDOM CENTER AND CLARA LUPER CIVIL RIGHTS CENTER $25M

For the purpose of transforming our city’s knowledge of its civil rights history and positively influencing the future of northeast Oklahoma City and all our city, it is the intent of Council to allocate $16 million for the renovation of the historic Freedom Center, home of the Oklahoma City civil rights movement, as well as construction of an adjacent civil rights museum and community gathering place to be named for civil rights pioneer Clara Luper. Commencement of renovations and construction will be conditional on the approval of operating agreements with an operator prior to December 31, 2026.

It is the intent of Council to further allocate $9 million to an operating fund to provide for the operations of the facilities described herein.

[HangryHippo]

$16 million for that?

[Martin]

$16 million for that?

to renovate that historical landmark and to build an "adjacent civil rights museum and community gathering place"

[PoliSciGuy]

Fantastic, glad to see this landmark getting a much-needed makeover and that Clara Luper is getting more recognition.

[HangryHippo]

to renovate that historical landmark and to build an "adjacent civil rights museum and community gathering place"

I see that now. Doh.

[Plutonic Panda]

That’s awesome did they expedite this project because I thought it wasn’t schedule for a few more years?

[HOT ROD]

sorry, I still don't see the adjacent civil rights museum nor the community gathering place in any of the drawings or renderings provided.

[Martin]

sorry, I still don't see the adjacent civil rights museum nor the community gathering place in any of the drawings or renderings provided.

this link has you covered: OKC’s Civil Rights history gains MAPS 4 attention (usatodaynetwork.com)

from what i can tell, the plan is for it to be a block south of the existing freedom center, between ne 24th and madison.

[Plutonic Panda]

From OKC FP:

Initial plans for the complex that will be the Luper Center include the existing Freedom Center building and a new, much larger and better appointed building for the actual civil rights center.

Currently, the Freedom Center is already being preserved by work crews, with construction ongoing.

Plans for the new center are not fully formed, but initial plans include a welcoming public space.

Beatty endeavored to enlighten the Council to the vision of the organization for the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center.

The center will focus on three offerings. Those will include exhibits permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary. The site will also house an archive of the documents and artifacts from the Freedom Center and around the community to create a longstanding public history of the area and the local struggle for civil rights, which has not yet reached a conclusion.

According to Beatty, the most important part of the center, “the heartbeat of the center” as she said, will be in programming.

- read more here: https://freepressokc.com/okc-city-co...-station-reno/