John Hope Franklin, Oklahoma’s renown historian and author
It is with great sadness we recognize the passing of one of Oklahoma’s greatest historians, authors and teachers, John Hope Franklin. During his lifetime he received many honors; many from his native state, including, the Oklahoma Center for the Book Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award and election to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
A chronicler of Black history, he authored numerous books, including his major work, “From Slavery to Freedom: The History of African-Americans.” He taught at Duke University, and graduated from Fisk and Harvard. He co-edited with his son the autobiography of his father, Buck Colbert Franklin’s life. John Hope Franklin also authored his own autobiography, Mirror to America.
Born in Rentiesville, Oklahoma in 1915, Dr. Franklin became a well respected historian and scholar. He fought for civil rights with determination and dignity. In his passing we will all have lost an important and treasured voice.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
A loss indeed! It was my pleasure to arrange a few years ago to have Oklahoma barbeque sent to NC for a celebratory occasion. He said that there was no barbeque outside Oklahoma.
Reggie, you are so right, look at the conspicious absence of any Oklahoma Congressmen(women) to support this legislation, http://newsok.com/article/3358618
Why is the representative from Michigan the only one to realize something should have been done long ago to address the lawsuits that were filed as a result of the race riot.
And here’s more silence from the following:
Concerns expressed that year by Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor may have played a part in dooming the 2007 measure.
Taylor declined to comment Thursday about Conyers’ renewed effort, as did Gov. Brad Henry and Rep. John Sullivan, R-Okla.
“Silence is always golden in Oklahoma politics.”
I’m really sick that Mr. Franklin did not live to see the Reconciliation memorial built in Tulsa. Thanks, Oklahoma Legislature, for sitting on your hands and not doing a dang thing to advance the memorial that will pay tribute to the Oklahomans who died in one of the nation’s worse race riots. Mr. Franklin did indeed receive many honors from his home state, but the recognition he really wanted to see was the true acknowledgement of this event by Oklahomans. Once again, this state has missed the ball.