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Calvary Baptist Church Photograph courtesy of Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office |
This church was the physical and spiritual base for a multi-year sit-in
campaign that changed the face of segregation in Oklahoma City. Constructed
in 1921 by black architect and church member Russell Benton Bingham, Calvary
Baptist Church is an imposing three-story brick building with twin towers
capped by brick parapets. In the early 20th century it served as the religious
and social center of Oklahoma City's black community. The sit-ins--or
what were then called "sitdowns"--were conceived in 1957 when 26 high
school drama students visited St. Louis, where they ate at integrated
lunch counters. Back home and determined to change "Jim Crow" Oklahoma,
they met at Calvary with their drama teacher and a NAACP advisor to plan
a sit-in campaign. On August 19, 1958, 12 youths marched to nearby Katz
Drug Store and took unoccupied seats at the lunch counter. When they were
not served, they remained, quiet and orderly. After another sit-in the
next day, Katzs' manager agreed to serve them. At the second stop, S.H.
Kress and Company, the youths were not so lucky. The store yielded but
all stools at its lunch counter were removed. The sit-ins were repeated
almost on a daily basis, at food service spots all over the city. Once,
the students and other local African Americans showed up for the "Everyone
Welcome" grand opening of a new cafeteria on Lincoln Boulevard. They were
turned away. In time, white protestors joined the demonstrators. By mid-1961,
more than 175 city restaurants had opened their doors to African Americans,
and before long, segregated eating places had virtually disappeared in
Oklahoma City. Calvary was the "start" and the "finish" for most of the
sit-ins, despite threats to cancel the church's insurance and to bomb
the building. In 1995, Calvary Baptist Church was slightly damaged by
the terrorist bombing of the Murrah Federal Building.
Calvary Baptist Church is located in Oklahoma City at 300 N. Walnut. For further information call 405-523-0754.
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