Looks like we’ve been researching the same topic! I’ve pretty much scoured the Oklahoman’s archives already. One item I’ve not yet followed up on is Gov. Alfalfa Murray’s involvement. An excerpt from the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s opinion in Allen v. Oklahoma City, 1935 OK 1143, 52 P.2d 1054, 175 Okla. 421
http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/deliverdocument.asp?id=30196&hits=
“¶34 It is observed from the findings of the referee, based on evidence adduced by the respondent city in contemporaneous hearings in causes Nos. 26596 and 26597, that the initial step in segregation of the races in this locality occurred in May, 1933, when Honorable William H. Murray, as Governor, issued an executive military order declaring a state of martial law to exist in certain areas of the city of Oklahoma City, declaring a “segregation zone” for white people and another for black or colored people, and between the two a “nontrespass zone,” that the object thereby sought was preservation of the peace and prevention of riot and bloodshed; that the incident giving rise to military order was “that a large number of Negroes were moving, or attempting to move into districts entirely used and occupied by white people,” and that such indicated that riot and bloodshed was imminent. That the duration recited by the terms of the decree was, until said city, pursuant to request of the Governor, should pass a valid ordinance in lieu of said order.”
Now, that’s pretty interesting stuff and I’m looking into that now. But the court’s referee, and the court, got their facts wrong about the city’s 1st segregation ordinances – as you said, the city passed ordinances in 1916 and arrests were made to enforce them.
A May 2, 1933, Oklahoman article talks about the martial law intervention which, as far as I can tell, wasn’t accompanied by force. The article is here:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/deepdeuce/jimcrow_1933_05_02.jpg
Taking a Sanborn map and using the area stated in the article and marking it up, you come up with the area shown in this graphic:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/deepdeuce/governor_murray_blackdistrict.jpg
Okc’s Jim Crow Ordinances
Looks like we’ve been researching the same topic! I’ve pretty much scoured the Oklahoman’s archives already. One item I’ve not yet followed up on is Gov. Alfalfa Murray’s involvement. An excerpt from the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s opinion in Allen v. Oklahoma City, 1935 OK 1143, 52 P.2d 1054, 175 Okla. 421
http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/deliverdocument.asp?id=30196&hits=
“¶34 It is observed from the findings of the referee, based on evidence adduced by the respondent city in contemporaneous hearings in causes Nos. 26596 and 26597, that the initial step in segregation of the races in this locality occurred in May, 1933, when Honorable William H. Murray, as Governor, issued an executive military order declaring a state of martial law to exist in certain areas of the city of Oklahoma City, declaring a “segregation zone” for white people and another for black or colored people, and between the two a “nontrespass zone,” that the object thereby sought was preservation of the peace and prevention of riot and bloodshed; that the incident giving rise to military order was “that a large number of Negroes were moving, or attempting to move into districts entirely used and occupied by white people,” and that such indicated that riot and bloodshed was imminent. That the duration recited by the terms of the decree was, until said city, pursuant to request of the Governor, should pass a valid ordinance in lieu of said order.”
Now, that’s pretty interesting stuff and I’m looking into that now. But the court’s referee, and the court, got their facts wrong about the city’s 1st segregation ordinances – as you said, the city passed ordinances in 1916 and arrests were made to enforce them.
A May 2, 1933, Oklahoman article talks about the martial law intervention which, as far as I can tell, wasn’t accompanied by force. The article is here:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/deepdeuce/jimcrow_1933_05_02.jpg
Taking a Sanborn map and using the area stated in the article and marking it up, you come up with the area shown in this graphic:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/deepdeuce/governor_murray_blackdistrict.jpg