OKlahoma Black Towns and Communities Symposium

Program Type:

Cultural Experiences

Age Group:

All Ages, Adults
  • Registration is required for this event.
  • Registration will open on January 28, 2026 @ 8:00am.

Event Description


Oklahoma Black Communities Symposium, 2/28/26, 12-5pm, Downtown Library, 300 Park Ave, OKC
On February 28th, the Metropolitan Library System will be hosting a series on discussions and presentations on Black community research and preservation in Oklahoma. This event will bring together individuals, organizations, and institutions from across the central part of Oklahoma working on documenting the history of Black urban enclaves, rural communities, and Black towns. 
 
Keynote: 
Nicka Sewell-Smith

From Tulsa to Beyond: African American Genealogy in Oklahoma

Professional Genealogist Nicka Smith will offer an in-depth look at using Oklahoma specific resources to uncover their unique stories.

Attendees will learn how to research the lives of their ancestors using tribal records (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee, and Seminole), federal records, newspapers, college/university collections, historical society records, and more! Understanding of these records will help those researching family trees to discover deep roots in the Sooner State.


 

Other presentations will feature on-going projects from across the area focusing on specific communities, scholarship in the field, and coalition building to create successful preservation projects. 


More details including additional presenters will be available soon.