Understanding the struggles of your ancestors can instill a sense of pride and resilience. A museum in Moore is dedicated to that goal.
“Our ancestors were resilient and fought for their freedom,” said Rhonda Grayson, founder of the Oklahoma Indian Territory Museum of Black Creek Freedmen History
It’s a part of history that is rarely told.
“You can’t talk about Oklahoma’s history without talking about the first people,” Grayson said.
Known in history as the “Trail of Tears,” this incident involved the forced relocation of nearly 125,000 Native Americans to Indian territory now known as Oklahoma.
“Our ancestors were part of the odyssey of forced relocation for the Creeks from the southeast, from Alabama and Georgia,” Grayson said.
Among the Native Americans who were forcibly displaced were thousands of African Americans
“Some of them were married to Indians, some had children with Indians and some were slaves,” said Sharon Lenzy-Scott of the Oklahoma Indian Territory Museum of Black Creek Freedmen History
Some of these stories are told at the Oklahoma Indian Territory Museum of Black Creek Freedmen’s History.
“There was a chief named Chief Opothleyahola who wrote a letter to the President of the United States when the war broke out,” Grayson said.
In just under a year, they have already formed some pretty impressive partnerships.
“We had the privilege of joining the Association of African American Museums in Washington DC,” said Grayson.
Displaying documents and exhibits and providing information to connect African Americans with their Native American ancestors.
“So the ultimate goal is to have a major museum on a national level,” Grayson said.
There are plans to move the museum to a larger location where more of the story can be told.
“Our goal is to tell this story like no other in history,” Grayson said.
“No one can tell our story but us,” Lenzy-Scott said.
Currently the museum is open only on Saturdays or by appointment. You can reach it through the website www.freedmenmuseum.org.
