Basic Information
- Type of Place
- Independent City or Town
- Metro Area
- Politics c. 1860?
- Unions, Organized Labor?
Sundown Town Status
- Sundown Town in the Past?
- Probable
- Was there an ordinance?
- Don't Know
- Sign?
- Don’t Know
- Year of Greatest Interest
- Still Sundown?
- Surely Not
Census Information
| Total | White | Black | Asian | Native | Hispanic | Other | BHshld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | ||||||||
| 1870 | ||||||||
| 1880 | ||||||||
| 1890 | ||||||||
| 1900 | ||||||||
| 1910 | ||||||||
| 1920 | ||||||||
| 1930 | 4002 | 94 | ||||||
| 1940 | ||||||||
| 1950 | 3454 | 27 | ||||||
| 1960 | 2836 | 10 | ||||||
| 1970 | 2913 | 1 | ||||||
| 1980 | ||||||||
| 1990 | 3085 | 59 | ||||||
| 2000 | 3038 | 72 | ||||||
| 2010 | ||||||||
| 2020 |
Method of Exclusion
- Violent Expulsion
Main Ethnic Group(s)
- Unknown
Group(s) Excluded
- Black
Comments
Okemah was set up as a sundown town in 1902,
although blacks were occasionally allowed to move
in. In 1907, the home of John Hogan, the only black
man living in the town at the time, was dynamited.
“Once the darkey was not allowed to have his
habitat in the town [Okemah] and he was
discouraged by high explosives.”
– Paden Press, 16 March 1905
In 1911, shortly after the lynching of a black
woman and her son, 400 black homesteaders were
brought to Okemah. “Local peace officers would not
allow the colored homeseekers to stop in Okemah
as no negroes had been allowed to live in Okemah
since the town was opened, April 22, 1902.
“Many armed Negroes were observed in all sections
of Okfuskee County, who threatened revenge for
the lynching of the Nelsons…
“Secret meetings were known to have been held by
the infuriated lawless Negroes in formulating plans
to wreak vengenance on Okemah… Late one
afternoon in June, 1911 a white ‘stool pigeon’
informed the sheriff of Okfuskee County that the
negroes were planning to sack and burn Okemah
that night. No mercy was to be shown women and
children… Sheriff Dunnegan told excited townsmen
that he did not anticipate any immediate trouble,
however within a short time a horseman galloped
into town and informed the sheriff that there was
no doubt the negroes planned to attack the town
during the night…
“The sheriff’s decision to defend the town with
firearms spread like wildfire, and citizens came
from every section of the town with firearms…
“On this memorable occasion, about 2 a. m. a negro
cruising along the trail at the edge of Okemah,
riding a bareback mule was observed by the outer
guards. The rider protested vigorously his
innocence when the guards accused him of being a
spy. He was commanded to dismount and would
have been courtmartialed and shot if he had not
furnished evidence proving his innocence, while on
his knees praying for mercy. After the rider had
finished his prayer he was ordered to arise and
mount his donkey and lose no time in getting out
of Okemah. However, he was stopped in the center
of town by an armed force, who escorted him to the
city limits, where he disappeared into the darkness,
never to be seen here again…
While Okemah citizens were preparing for war, their
colored foes were at home preparing for a good
night’s rest, which prevented the loss of blood on
both sides.”
–from Stories of Early Oklahoma, assembled by
Hazel Ruby McMahan, 1945