Black towns tour is set

The next tour of Oklahoma’s historically black towns will depart from the Oklahoma History Center at 8 a.m. Saturday for a visit to Grayson and the Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa.

The chartered bus tour will return about 6:30 p.m. to the History Center at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive.

The tour will stop first at the Grayson Gumbo Festival. Participants will hear the history of Grayson from Mayor Leon Anderson, visit key sites and savor homemade gumbo and desserts.

File, a key ingredient in authentic gumbo, is grown in Grayson, as is the bark from which sassafras tea is made.

The Grayson stop also will allow time for shopping with festival vendors and enjoying the musical entertainment. Grayson is north of Interstate 40 and east of U.S. 62.

The tour also will visit the site of the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, now immortalized at the Greenwood Cultural Center.

Guided by Peggy Johnson, the center’s director, participants will visit the historic site and be treated to a home-cooked meal.

To learn more

For more information, call Andre or Jessilyn Head at (206) 948-8852 or (206) 949-5012 or email andreh@thecoltranegroup.org.