Dozens March To Commemorate 64th Anniversary Of Sit-Ins For Desegregation

Dozens of people marched to a local business in Midtown Oklahoma City to commemorate the anniversary of Oklahoma City protests for desegregation and civil rights.

Downtown Oklahoma City is completely different from what it is was in 1958.

With every step, Marilyn Luper Hildreth, daughter of civil rights leader Clara Luper, takes with pride marching through Downtown OKC, a place where she spent a lot of time as a child.

“Picture this, we can go downtown anyplace in Oklahoma City spend all our money, but could not go to any restaurant or any place in downtown Oklahoma City and sit down and drink a coke like anyone else,” Luper Hildreth said.

In 1958, 10-year-old Luper Hildreth, along with 12 other students of her mother, decided they wanted to change that. They went to Katz Drug Store and took seats at the lunch counter but were denied service.

“We were on a mission because after we left Katz drugs store, we went to another restaurant here, Greens, then we went to another downtown restaurant,” Luper Hildreth said.

The students did not stop until they were served, making history. Those students are still fighting making sure their efforts aren't forgotten, 64 years later.

Teaching children not to take for granted the luxury of eating in a restaurant. Kids of similar ages re-enacted the historic sit-ins from a different point of view.

“Now, knowing that they fought for us to be able to be here today is good and now we can carry on that legacy,” Ashiya Scales said.

“You can’t take freedom for granted. I want them to know about the struggle,” Luper Hildreth said.

By Fall of 2024, the city plans to have a monument commemorating the Katz Drugs Store sit-in.