Clara Luper Civil Rights Center

legislation to appropriate funds to the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center

Oklahoma icon Clara Luper was a civic leader, schoolteacher and activist best
known for orchestrating the 1958 Oklahoma City sit-in protests at downtown
drugstore lunch counters, which helped to overturn their racial segregation
policies. The Clara Luper Civil Rights Center is set to be built in Oklahoma
City, and state Sen. George Young wants to appropriate additional funds to help
with costs for the museum.

The Oklahoma City Democrat has filed Senate Bill 1383, which would direct the
Oklahoma Historical Society to appropriate $625,000 from the Special Cash Fund
for the purpose of developing plans and other pre-construction costs related to
the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center.

“Clara Luper played an instrumental role in the civil rights movement not only in
Oklahoma, but across our nation,” Young said. “I’m very pleased that Oklahoma
City will honor her memory and dedication to making America a better place to
live with the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center. Senate Bill 1183 will help
ensure this project gets to the finish line and becomes a gathering place for
Oklahomans for years to come.”