Buck Colbert Franklin facts for kids
Buck Colbert Franklin (born May 6, 1879 – died September 24, 1960) was an important African American lawyer. He is famous for helping people after the terrible 1921 Tulsa race massacre. Franklin worked hard to protect the rights of Black citizens. He helped them rebuild their homes and businesses.
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Buck Franklin's Early Life and Education
Buck Colbert Franklin was born on May 6, 1879. His birthplace was near Homer, in what is now Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. His father, David Franklin, had escaped slavery. David fought for the Union Army in 1864. Buck's mother, Millie Colbert Franklin, was one-fourth Choctaw. She grew up following her nation's traditions. Millie and David married in 1856. They moved from Mississippi to a 300-acre farm. This farm was in the Indian Territory, on land of the Chickasaw Nation.
Buck was the seventh of ten children. He was named after his grandfather. His grandfather had bought his own freedom. Millie died in 1886. David was a successful rancher. He used his money to help his community grow.
Growing Up: Chores and Learning
Buck's childhood involved many chores on the ranch. By age eleven, he could ride horses and hunt deer. He also cooked for his family. In 1890, his father took him on a business trip. They went to Guthrie. There, they met the governor, George Washington Steele. Young Buck saw many important Black lawyers and business people.
He was a good athlete and student. He attended Dawes Academy boarding school near Springer, Oklahoma. After graduating, he was accepted at Roger Williams University in Nashville.
College and New Beginnings
After his father died in 1900, Franklin followed his teacher, John Hope. He went to Atlanta Baptist College (now Morehouse College). There, Franklin met Mollie Lee Parker. They married in 1903. Mollie and Buck continued their studies. They also managed a large farm. But when an illness killed their hogs, they lost almost all their money. They both became teachers to earn a living.
Buck Franklin's Early Career as a Lawyer
The young couple settled on a smaller farm in Ardmore, Oklahoma. While teaching, Franklin learned from Black lawyers in Ardmore. He also studied law through a course from the Sprague School of Law. He became a lawyer in Oklahoma in December 1907. He practiced law in Ardmore.
In 1912, he moved his family to Rentiesville, Oklahoma. This was an African American town. Franklin started a newspaper called the Rentiesville News. He also worked as the town's postmaster. Much of his legal work involved protecting land rights. He helped Native American and freedmen communities.
Life and Work in Tulsa
The Tulsa Race Massacre (1921)
Franklin moved to Tulsa in early 1921. He left his wife and children in Rentiesville. He wanted to save enough money first. He opened a law office with I.H. Spears and T.O. Chappelle. Their office was at 107 1/2 North Greenwood Avenue. This area was called the Greenwood District. It was known as "Black Wall Street" because it was very successful.
Franklin survived three days of violence in Tulsa. White mobs attacked the area. This event is now known as the Tulsa race massacre. Franklin was forced at gunpoint to the Tulsa Convention Hall. He was held prisoner for several days. His law office was one of many buildings destroyed. He later wrote about what he saw during those terrible days.
Fighting for Justice After the Massacre
After the Greenwood District was destroyed, city leaders made new plans. They wanted to move Black residents and businesses out of the downtown area. The new plan said that new buildings in Greenwood had to be made of fireproof materials. These materials, like brick, were too expensive for the people who had lost everything.
Franklin, Spears, and Chappelle set up a tent as their office. They gave legal help to the victims. The team filed a lawsuit against the city. They argued that the city could not stop Black property owners from rebuilding their own land. In September 1921, a panel of judges agreed with Franklin. They said the city could not deny property rights without a fair process. The Greenwood community was able to rebuild. Franklin and Spears also tried to help people with insurance claims. However, these claims were not successful.
Later Years in Tulsa
Franklin's wife, Mollie, and their two younger children joined him in Tulsa in 1925. Mollie started the first daycare in North Tulsa. It helped children of working mothers. Franklin continued to practice law. One of his cases went to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. It was a lawsuit against the Tulsa World newspaper.
In another important case, he argued that an all-white jury was unfair. This was in a criminal case with a Black defendant. He won the case. He became a Senior Member of the Oklahoma Bar Association in 1959.
In 1956, Franklin had a stroke. It paralyzed the right side of his body. He worked to finish his autobiography with his son, John Hope. Buck Colbert Franklin died in Tulsa on September 24, 1960.
Buck Franklin's Lasting Legacy
The Franklins had four children: Mozella, Buck Jr., Anne, and John Hope. John Hope Franklin became a very famous historian and thinker.
In 2021, the University of Tulsa College of Law opened a new clinic. It is called the Buck Colbert Franklin Legal Clinic. It offers free legal help to people in the Greenwood neighborhood. The law school also holds a special lecture each year. It is called The Buck Colbert Franklin Memorial Civil Rights Lecture.
His autobiography, My Life and An Era, was published in 1997. His son John and grandson John Whittington Franklin edited it. The book shares details about Franklin's childhood. It also includes his memories of the Tulsa race massacre. The book reflects on race and the law.
