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The Oklahoma Eagle
| Content Provider | The Gateway to Oklahoma History |
|---|---|
| Description | The Oklahoma Eagle is the oldest continuously published Black newspaper in Oklahoma and has served as the voice of Tulsa’s Black community since it was first issued in 1922. The story of the Eagle began in 1912 with A. J.Smitherman publishing the Star on July 12, 1912 but moved to Tulsa early in 1913 and renamed his paper the Tulsa Star. The new Tulsa Star championed Black causes, promoting progress and stability within Tulsa's Black community until its dramatic and untimely demise following the Race Massacre of May 31, 1921. Smitherman fled the city shortly after the Massacre selling the remnants of his business to Baughman who used the Star’s original presses to print the Oklahoma Eagle in 1922 and eventually sold to Goodwin in 1936. The Goodwin family moved to Greenwood because of its potential for economic opportunity and a better life that was nearly impossible to find elsewhere. Henri and Greer Goodwin established roots in the community, and they would be one of the few Black families to survive the Massacre and remain in Tulsa. In 1936, their son Edward Lawrence purchased the Oklahoma Eagle and became a prominent leader and advocate of the community. To the masthead he added the phrase “We Make America Great When We Aid Our People”, and these words have served as a mission statement for the paper ever since. During World War II, E. L. Goodwin used his publication to highlight the efforts of Black soldiers fighting overseas; he celebrated as the walls of segregation began to crumble, and he never let Tulsa forget its violent past. Around this same, the Eagle began publishing separate editions for Black communities in other cities. The Muskogee Edition of the Oklahoma Eagle likely began publication in late 1974. In December 1978, it was expanded to include the city of Okmulgee and started printing as the Muskogee Okmulgee Oklahoma Eagle in June 1979. This edition lasted at least through 1992. The Goodwin family and their Oklahoma Eagle newspaper have made an indelible mark on the city of Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma. Edward Sr. gave a voice to a community that has historically been silenced, and with his family he built one of the most influential Black newspapers in the nation. James Goodwin continues to publish the Eagle each Thursday, and he continues his family’s legacy of social advocacy using his father’s motto as a guide: “We Make America Great When We Aid Our People." |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Alternative Title | The Oklahoma Eagle 1904-1906 The Oklahoma Eagle (Muskogee, Okla.) 1900s-1978 The Oklahoma Eagle (Muskogee, Okla. and Okmulgee, Okla.) 1978-1992 The Oklahoma Eagle (Tulsa, Okla.) 1922-2019 |
| Jurisdiction | Oklahoma |
