Press Release
February 1, 2017
Contact: Jennifer Towry
Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-4019
jtowry@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/crossroads
Oklahoma Historical Society Online Publication Features Oklahoma Sit-Ins for Black History Month
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) tells the story of the Oklahoma City sit-in movement in the February issue of Crossroads, its monthly online publication. The issue features interviews with Ayanna Najuma and Joyce Jackson, who participated in numerous sit-ins in Oklahoma City from 1958 to 1964. At age seven, Najuma was one of the youngest participants in the historic sit-in at Katz Drug Store on August 19, 1958. As a teen, Jackson participated in multiple sit-ins and demonstrations. Both women were part of the NAACP Youth Council led by teacher and civil rights leader Clara Luper. This issue of Crossroads can be viewed by visiting www.okhistory.org/crossroads/issue6.
The Oklahoma Historical Society launched Crossroads in September 2016. It is designed to share Oklahoma history in a new and engaging format that reaches a wide audience and also provide content for the classroom. The online publication includes photos, video, audio recordings, manuscripts and oral histories from OHS collections, combined with newly created interviews and video. Links, an image gallery and further resources are included at the end of each issue to encourage further exploration. Crossroads is published on the first of each month and is available for free online. Past issues explore varied topics including heritage farming at the George M. Murrell Home, the bison herd at Pawnee Bill Ranch, coal mining in Oklahoma and tracing your family history. Crossroads can be found at www.okhistory.org/crossroads.
The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
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Editor’s Note: Photographs are available to accompany this story. Please contact Evelyn Moxley at 405-522-0472 or emoxley@okhistory.org to obtain these photographs.
