IN MEMORY: OKLAHOMA’S FIRST BLACK SENATOR DIES
Oklahoma’s first black state senator, E. Melvin Porter, has died. Porter, a former president of the Oklahoma City chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was 86.
E. Melvin Porter, Oklahoma’s first black state senator, died Tuesday.
Porter died following a lenghty illness. He was 86. Born in Okmulgee in 1930, Porter was a member of the first class including blacks at Vanderbilt University Law School. He went on to become president of the Oklahoma City chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1961.
Porter participated in sit-ins and boycotts with Clara Luper, and also provided legal services for the organization.
Porter unsuccessfully ran for the state House as a Republican in 1962 and was defeated. As a Democrat, he was elected to the state Senate in 1964.
In office, Porter introduced the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act, Oklahoma’s equivalent of the federal Civil Rights Act.
He held the office for 22 years.
Porter’s state political career came to an end in 1986, when he lost his seat to Vicki Miles-LaGrange.
He was appointed an Oklahoma County commissioner in January 1993, but resigned in July 1994 amid controversy.
Last year, on the 50th anniversary of his first election to office, Porter was honored with a resolution put forth in the Oklahoma Senate.
LaTonya Porter, Porter’s daughter-in-law, said she was surprised how much her father-in-law had influenced Oklahoma.
“It was just incredible being in his presence. He was one of the funniest men I’ve ever encountered. He had stories that were incredible. He was just so funny, and I don’t think people realized it.
“He loved to play dominoes. He was a very aggressive domino player. He talked a lot of noise. People didn’t see that side of him. To me, he was just Eddie,” she said.
Porter is survived by three daughters and four sons, all of whom live in Oklahoma.
Services are pending with Temple & Sons funeral home.