In recognition of Black History Month, the Friends of the Ferguson Home is presenting a special lecture/discussion featuring Professor Roger Hardaway at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at the Watonga Public Library. President Gerald Ford proclaimed, and the Congress enacted legislation for the U.S. to celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans in February.
Last week, the Republican ran an article on Professor Hardaway and some of the themes on which he will touch. These include buffalo soldiers, Black cowboys and all Black towns. (Jan. 22, 2025 edition on A3).
So why is African American History important to the Fergusons? First, Ferguson had come from Kansas to Oklahoma. Kansas endured an intense struggle between pro-slavery and non-slavery partisans known as Bleeding Kansas. T.B. Ferguson published a book in 1892 in Oklahoma called “The Jayhawkers, A Tale of the Border Wars” about the violence that broke out in Kansas in 1856 and eventually resulted in Kansas being admitted to the Union as a free state in 1861. Ferguson realized the importance of treating everyone equally.
Second, Edward P. McCabe, a lawyer from New York helped found the all-Black towns of Nicodemus in Kansas and later (1880) Langston, OK. McCabe had been elected state auditor in Kansas and served as assistant state auditor under four Oklahoma Territorial Governors, including T.B. Ferguson. McCabe played an important role in establishing all Black towns in Oklahoma, of which Blaine County had three (Salton, Udora and Emmanuel).
While Governor of the Territory of Oklahoma, T.B. Ferguson protected African Americans. Many towns did not allow Blacks or had “sundown” laws. When Ferguson learned in early 1902 that Lawton was planning to disallow Blacks, Ferguson threatened to send in the Oklahoma National Guard to prevent this injustice (see article in the Watonga Republican Feb. 14, 2024.)
Many African Americans were members of the Republican Party. His office was often visited by African Americans. In fact, one all Black town of Blaine County, Salton on the Salt Creek NW of Hitchcock, changed its name to Ferguson in 1907 in honor of the Governor. For these and other reasons, the Friends of the Ferguson Home proudly celebrate African American History month.