Langston, Oklahoma: The Historic Heart of Black Education and Leadership in Oklahoma

By Oklahoma’s Historic Black Towns Project:  

Nestled in the rolling hills of central Oklahoma, just northeast of Guthrie, the Town of Langston stands as one of the most historically significant communities in the state. More than just one of Oklahoma’s historic all-Black towns, Langston became the educational, cultural, and intellectual center of African American life in Oklahoma through the establishment of what is now Langston University, the state’s only Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

Today, Langston remains a community rich in history, resilience, and opportunity—a place where the dreams of its founders continue to inspire new generations.

A Bold Vision for a New Beginning

Langston was officially founded on April 22, 1890, by Edward P. McCabe, a former Kansas State Auditor and one of the most influential African American political leaders of the late nineteenth century. McCabe envisioned Oklahoma Territory as a place where African Americans could own land, build businesses, educate their children, and participate fully in government without the racial barriers common throughout much of the South.

Working with local land developers, McCabe helped establish the town and promoted it aggressively through newspapers, pamphlets, and speaking engagements across the country. His campaign encouraged Black families to relocate to Oklahoma Territory, where affordable land and new opportunities awaited.

Although McCabe’s larger dream of creating a Black-majority state never came to fruition, his efforts helped establish several thriving Black communities throughout Oklahoma and left a lasting mark on American history.

Named for a National Civil Rights Leader

McCabe chose to name the town after John Mercer Langston, one of the most respected African American leaders of the nineteenth century.

John Mercer Langston was an attorney, educator, abolitionist, diplomat, and the first Black congressman elected from Virginia. He also served as the founding dean of the Howard University School of Law and was a lifelong advocate for civil rights and education. His achievements made him an ideal symbol for the ambitious new Oklahoma community that would bear his name.

A Thriving Frontier Community

Langston’s growth during its first years was remarkable.

By 1891, only a year after its founding, the community already featured:

• Four grocery stores
• A drugstore
• A restaurant
• A boarding house
• A blacksmith shop
• Two physicians
• An attorney
• Several ministers
• Teachers
• Skilled craftsmen
• Numerous successful farmers
• A public well
• A Union Sabbath School
• A respected day school

For a frontier settlement, Langston developed rapidly into a self-sufficient town that offered residents both economic opportunity and a strong sense of community.

Like many of Oklahoma’s historic Black towns, residents understood that education, entrepreneurship, and civic leadership were essential for long-term success.

The Birth of Oklahoma’s Only Historically Black University

Perhaps no event shaped Langston’s future more than the creation of its university.

African American citizens petitioned territorial leaders for access to higher education because Black students were excluded from white institutions in Oklahoma Territory. Their efforts eventually succeeded when the Territorial Legislature approved the establishment of the Colored Agricultural and Normal University on March 12, 1897, using land purchased and donated by the citizens of Langston.

The institution opened with Inman E. Page serving as its first president.

Its earliest classes were held inside a small Presbyterian church before permanent campus buildings were constructed.

The university would later become Langston University, and today it remains Oklahoma’s only Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

Education Became Langston’s Identity

Unlike many communities that depended primarily on agriculture, Langston quickly developed an identity centered on education.

For more than a century, Langston University has educated thousands of students from Oklahoma, across the United States, and around the world.

Today, the university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in fields including:

• Agriculture
• Nursing
• Business
• Education
• Engineering Technology
• Health Sciences
• Liberal Arts

As Oklahoma’s land-grant HBCU, the university continues its historic mission of expanding educational opportunities while contributing to research, agriculture, and workforce development.

A Community That Produced Leaders

Langston’s influence reaches far beyond Oklahoma.

Among the town’s notable residents and university connections are:

Melvin B. Tolson

One of America’s most respected poets and educators, Melvin B. Tolson taught at Langston University from 1947 until 1964.

Tolson later served as mayor of Langston and gained international recognition as Liberia’s Poet Laureate. His coaching career inspired the acclaimed film The Great Debaters, starring Denzel Washington.

Alex Haley

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alex Haley, best known for Roots and The Autobiography of Malcolm X, maintained ties to Langston and is among the celebrated figures associated with the town’s remarkable legacy.

Zella Black Patterson

Author, educator, and historian Zella Black Patterson devoted much of her life to preserving African American history and advancing educational opportunities.

Edward P. McCabe’s Lasting Legacy

Although McCabe eventually left Oklahoma, his vision continues to shape Langston today.

His influence extends beyond the town itself.

Langston University honors his contributions through the Edwin P. McCabe Honors Program, one of the university’s premier academic scholarship programs that develops future leaders through scholarship, research, and community service.

His dream of creating opportunity through education remains alive more than 130 years after Langston’s founding.

Langston Today

According to the 2020 United States Census, Langston has a population of 1,619 residents. While much smaller than many Oklahoma cities, its historical and educational impact far exceeds its size.

The town continues to serve as home to:

• Langston University
• Historic churches
• Community organizations
• Annual cultural events
• Alumni celebrations
• Educational conferences

Visitors are often surprised by how closely the university and the town remain connected.

Preserving an Important Chapter of American History

Langston represents something much larger than a single Oklahoma community.

It tells the story of determination.

It demonstrates what can happen when education becomes the foundation of a community.

It preserves the vision of leaders who believed that ownership, learning, and self-government could create lasting opportunity despite enormous obstacles.

Today, historians, educators, genealogists, and travelers continue to visit Langston to learn about one of America’s most successful Black-founded communities.

Visiting Langston

Visitors can experience several important landmarks, including:

• Langston University campus
• Historic churches
• Original townsite
• Community buildings
• Educational and cultural exhibits
• Annual university events and homecoming celebrations

Located less than an hour from Oklahoma City, Langston makes an excellent stop for anyone exploring Oklahoma’s Historic Black Towns Heritage Trail.

A Legacy That Continues

More than 135 years after its founding, Langston remains one of the brightest examples of African American achievement in Oklahoma.

While many frontier communities disappeared, Langston endured because it invested in something that lasts—education.

From Edward P. McCabe’s ambitious vision to the founding of Langston University, the town has shaped generations of teachers, business leaders, healthcare professionals, public servants, writers, and community advocates.

As Oklahoma continues to celebrate the history of its historic Black towns, Langston stands proudly as a living reminder that knowledge, perseverance, and leadership can build a legacy that lasts for generations.