Meet the Oklahoma activist who’s fighting racist laws with Black history

By Jonece Starr Dunigan, Reckon Media

Every second Saturday of the month, a resistance is underway inside the EduRec Youth and Family Fun Center in north Tulsa, Okla.

The building was once a shuttered elementary school, making it a fitting location for Black History Saturdays. The free program founded by community activist Kristi Williams functions like a regular school day, except the parents don’t leave. Class is in session from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. for them, too. Williams and her team of eight educators welcome anyone from preschool-age children to adult learners curious about the history in their backyards and around the globe.

The program is packed with activities. Youth dressed in lab coats crowd around a Black archeologist unearthing the remains of victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Black composers are highlighted during piano lessons. Elders dive into historical literature and examine how context from the past applies to today. Since February 2023, more than 160 Black History Saturdays students have gathered to study materials that could be deemed questionable under House Bill 1775. The Oklahoma law restricts instruction on race and gender in K-12 classrooms and teachers’ professional development. Its implementation in 2021 pushed Williams to create a space where education could be put back in Black hands.

“There’s an African proverb that says, ‘Until the lion learns to tell his own story, the story will always glorify the hunter,’” Williams said. “And so that’s why we need Black History Saturdays.”

Continue reading to learn how Williams has been recognized for her work.

Find more news stories about Black changemakers.