Black Catholics in Oklahoma

"Among the members of the Five Civilized Tribes who were deported to Oklahoma territory in the 1820s and 1830s, were many slaveholders. After the Civil War, the tribes were given a choice of adopting their former slaves into the tribe or of giving them tribal land. The Creek Nation chose to do both, which is why there are so many black towns in the area around Okmulgee and Muskogee. 

Black Catholics were not much in evidence, however, until Okmulgee experienced an oil boom around 1920. This drew African American oil field workers from Louisiana, many of them with French surnames. Uganda Martyrs parish was started for them in 1925, but the boom played out quickly in Okmulgee, and many workers moved north to Tulsa. This gave impetus to St. Monica's parish in 1925. Other churches were built in Beggs, Boley, Grayson, McAlester, and Muskogee. St. Augustine, Tulsa's second African American parish, opened in 1950."

An excerpt from Tulsa: This Far by Faith by Rev. James D. White

Current parishes in the Diocese of Tulsa with predominant African American members: 

• St. Augustine - Tulsa 
  
  
• St. Monica - Tulsa 
  
  
• Uganda Martyrs - Okmulgee

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