March 18 …

The town of Brooksville in Oklahoma is one of the state’s surviving historic All-Black towns, founded in the early 20th century as a self-governing Black agricultural and civic community.

Brooksville, originally known as Sewell, was established in 1903, with its townsite opening for settlement that same year. On March 18, 1909, the community adopted the name Brooksville in honor of A.R. Brooks, an early African American cotton buyer and farmer who also served as postmaster. The town incorporated much later — in October 1972.

Significant early milestones include the establishment of St. John’s Baptist Church in 1906 and the construction of the Banneker School, funded by the Rosenwald Fund, in 1924. The school served local students until its closure in 1968, after which it became a community center.

Key figures who shaped Brooksville included Rev. Jedson White, a promoter who encouraged Black migration to the area, along with local civic leaders such as A.R. Brooks and his son W.M. Brooks, who followed in his father’s footsteps as postmaster. The town’s roots lie in the availability of land and agricultural opportunities for Black residents in Pottawatomie County.

At its peak, Brooksville boasted a Santa Fe Railroad station, hotels, medical professionals, mills, local banks, and a lively church and school community. Demographically, the town has seen fluctuations — starting with hundreds of residents in its early years, experiencing declines during the Depression and mid-20th century, and now having a small population ranging from a few dozen to a few hundred in recent censuses.

Notable individuals and connections include educator George W. McLaurin, who taught at Banneker School before becoming the first African American graduate student at the University of Oklahoma. The St. John’s congregation and Rosenwald School are integral to the town’s civic legacy.

The town of Brooksville in Oklahoma is recognized as one of the only 13 remaining historic All-Black towns in Oklahoma and has been featured in cultural and historical programming. It preserves historic buildings and community institutions that highlight its contributions to Black self-determination, rural education, and the broader narrative of African American migration and community-building in the history of the United States.