All Black Towns
From 1865 to the 1920s, settlements in Oklahoma included over 50 All-Black Towns. These towns were founded mostly by the former slaves of the Five Civilized Tribes, or Freedmen. Groups of African Americans joined together to create successful communities where they could live without the threat of racism.
Eventually news of the towns spread, and more and more African Americans came to the area. Some towns distributed newspapers that encouraged settlers to move to the towns.
By the 1920s, many African Americans had left the towns in search of a new home. Reasons for relocating included growing opposition from nearby white communities, movements encouraging African Americans to other areas, and the devastation of the Great Depression.
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