Once, they were places of refuge and community for people who had been enslaved in Indian Territory and other parts of the South. After the Civil War, African Americans created more than fifty settlements in what would become the state of Oklahoma. Some of these towns had short lives, while others flourished, providing self-governance and an escape from the discrimination some residents experienced in other communities as well as an atmosphere of racial solidarity.

Because of the Great Depression in the 1930s, the economies of these small farming communities declined, and most could not survive. Thirteen persisted, however, and still exist as incorporated towns: Langston, Red Bird, Tullahassee, Taft, Summit, Rentiesville, Grayson, Boley, Clearview, Vernon, Lima, Brooksville, and Tatums. A fourteenth, IXL, was added to the list when it was incorporated in 2001.

It was in Tatums, the westernmost of today’s existing all-Black towns, where Derrick Smith Jr. connected with this legacy. Smith originally is from Tatums, but it wasn’t until 2005 that he first heard of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street and the 1921 Race Massacre.

“It bothered me that, even being from a historic Black town, I didn’t know much of my own Black history,” he says. “That piqued my desire to learn more.”

Smith, a rap artist and teacher, also wanted to help others learn more about these often-unknown places. That’s why he wanted to create an annual event to give others a fun reason to do the same.

During his Black Towns Motorcycle Tour, Derrick Smith Jr. encourages riders to support local businesses—like restaurants and hotels—at each stop. Photo by Cliff Howard

“I’ve always believed in my heart that the towns are capable of being restored to what they were in the past: safe havens for Black people and economic centers for Black business and commerce,” he says.

In 2019, Smith organized the first Black Towns Motorcycle Tour, an event during which riders visit all thirteen original Black towns in one day.

“The idea was to make a big stir and get people to know about these places with hopes of building up a tourism base and revitalizing their economies,” Smith says. “Most of them are at risk of falling by the wayside.”

This year will mark the tour’s third installment. It is open to four-wheeled vehicles as well as motorcycles and will take place for four days beginning September 3. As part of the festivities, Smith is planning concerts and other activities in participating communities. He also distributes a brochure called The Long Road to Liberty, produced by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, as a Black history education piece for participants.

“Oklahoma’s Black history is unrivaled,” says Smith, “and I’m confident about creating a more progressive and interactive way of learning this history as a way to end systemic racism. The more we learn about one another, the more we can alleviate the stereotypes. Younger generations will know more truth about one another and have more compassion for one another.”

Participation is open to everyone, Smith says. Registration is fifty dollars for all participants, and the registration deadline for this year’s ride is August 1.

“We all own this history collectively,” he says. “These Black towns demonstrate how anybody can overcome trials and tribulations in working toward the American dream.”

Black Towns Motorcycle Tour
(833) 344-8687
13blacktownstour.com

Written By

Susan Dragoo