OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The history of human rights in Oklahoma City is a deep discussion. It was the topic of conversation in Wednesday morning’s meeting of the Oklahoma City Human Rights Commission and one man, a civil rights pioneer, joined in to tell his story.
“If we give up, there’s no reason to get up. I refuse to give up. So, I continue to get up and do the work to help others, to help themselves,” said Dr. George Henderson. A civil rights icon in Oklahoma higher education still pushing for change. “We’re not as good as we want to be or as humane as we want to be, but we’re better than we once were.”
Dozens got the chance to hear Henderson tell his story and speak on human relations in the meeting.
“Just the mere fact that you are all here, you reminded me that I’m not alone,” Henderson said. “The work goes on.”
Born into poverty in Alabama, Henderson said his family fled the state due to the KKK. He became a faculty member at the University of Oklahoma in the late 1960’s. He’s the director of their advanced studies program and founded the school’s entire human relations program, designing it’s curriculum in 1969. At the time, he and his wife Barbara were the first African Americans to buy a home in Norman, a former sundown town. He’s also been honored for his research and writings, including one of his books discussing his time in Norman and the struggles of young students in college during the civil rights movement.
“I’m proud to see an audience who have not forgotten that there’s still work to be done and we can get it done,” he said.
Now, he’s hoping to use his knowledge, expertise and storied past to spark change for the future.
“Someone asked Jackie Robinson, aren’t you proud to be the first person? And I’ll never forget, he said, no, I’ll be proud when I see the second, the third, the fourth, and so forth,” he said. “We have a bright future.”
The human rights commission meets every other month and was formed to address alleged harm to people that have been discriminated against. You can find a link to the full conversation and meeting here.