Oklahoma City Council Approves Clara Luper Civil Rights Center

New 17,694-square-foot facility to honor civil rights pioneer's legacy

Apr. 7, 2026 at 11:19pm

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A serene, nostalgic painting of a dimly lit city street corner, with a single streetlight casting warm, diagonal shadows across the pavement, conceptually representing the importance of preserving and honoring the city's civil rights history.

The new Clara Luper Civil Rights Center will serve as a beacon, illuminating Oklahoma City's pivotal role in the fight for racial equality.Oklahoma City Today

The Oklahoma City Council has approved final plans for the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center, a new 17,694-square-foot facility that will honor the legacy of the renowned civil rights activist and educator. The center will include exhibit spaces, classrooms, and community gathering areas.

Why it matters

The Clara Luper Civil Rights Center will serve as an important educational and cultural hub, preserving the history of the civil rights movement in Oklahoma and inspiring future generations to continue the fight for equality and justice.

The details

The new center is part of the city's MAPS 4 initiative, a voter-approved plan to invest in various community projects. The facility will feature exhibit spaces, classrooms, and areas for community gatherings and events. It is named after Clara Luper, a pioneering civil rights leader who led the Oklahoma City sit-in movement in the 1950s, which played a crucial role in the desegregation of public facilities in the state.

The Oklahoma City Council approved the final plans for the center on April 7, 2026.

The players

Clara Luper

A renowned civil rights activist and educator who led the Oklahoma City sit-in movement in the 1950s, which played a crucial role in the desegregation of public facilities in the state.