OSU’s Women’s Archives, Women’s Faculty Council and Women’s Studies program held a luncheon Tuesday focusing on the role of black women in Oklahoma history. The luncheon is the first of five this year highlighting research on women, said Jennifer Paustenbaugh, director of Women’s Archives.
Dr. Dorscine Spigner-Littles spoke on her documentary film titled “Collective Visions: A Historical Overview of Black Women in Oklahoma, Early 1800-1921.” Made in 1987, Spigner-Littles said the documentary lay dormant for a while and thanked Oklahoma State University for re-opening the door for her to share her experience.
“This documentary is a wonderful accomplishment,” Paustenbaugh said. “Most of us don’t know about the great contribution that black women have made throughout history. All of us can gain a deeper appreciation for their highly significant role throughout Oklahoma history by watching this documentary.”
Spigner-Littles’ speech drew a crowd of about 30 from a variety of ethnic backgrounds to the Browsing Room of Edmon Low Library. The documentary began in Oklahoma in the 1800s and showed the progression of the black woman until 1921.
“Oklahoma is one of rich tapestry in history; it has been the home to the American Indians, the blacks and the whites,” Spigner-Littles said. “Our history is Oklahoma history, so black history is intertwined in every facet of Oklahoma history.”
Highlighting the struggle with the Jim Crow Laws and the Tulsa Race Riots, the documentary also discusses the impact black women had on the communities as teachers, farmers, homesteaders and housewives.
According to the documentary, in the mid-1800s the population in the black communities increased from 22,000 to 140,000. Blacks came from all across the United States to Oklahoma. They wanted to make Oklahoma a solely black state in an attempt to free the race from oppression, Spigner-Littles said.
“Oklahoma lost over half of its black population after the Jim Crow laws were passed in Oklahoma,” Spigner-Littles said. “The black population has never recovered from that loss.”
After the 35-minute documentary finished, people asked Spigner-Littles questions. Barbara Bock, a visiting scholar from Namibia said the documentary was eye-opening.
“I am from Africa and did not know much about the role of black women in this society,” Bock said. “The more I learn about what the black woman had to endure, the more I am shocked. I found her documentary to be very helpful and informative to me.”
In closing, Spigner-Littles said educating the general public about the role black women played in history is the most important way to respond appropriately to the great contributions the black community has left.
“Hopefully Dr. Littles will be back to talk to us about her second and third documentaries on black women in Oklahoma once they are released,” Paustenbaugh said.
Loading ...
All Articles