Clara Luper

Clara Luper, mother of the Civil Rights Movement in Oklahoma, passed away yesterday at the age of 88. She marched with Martin Luther King, led sit-ins at the Katz Drugstore in Oklahoma City and was instrumental in forming the Youth Chapter of the Oklahoma City NAACP.


Members of the Paris NAACP were fortunate to hear her speak several years ago at a banquet benefitting the Community Center in Hugo. She vividly described what must have been going through Dred Scott's mind awaiting the U. S. Supreme Court decision that could tell him "You are Somebody" only to hear "You are Nobody", followed by a reminder to the audience each one is, indeed, Somebody.

Please read this Daily Oklahoman obituary and these articles by Doug Loudenback and Stories in America about Mrs. Luper's fight for justice.