Otis Clark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Otis Clark
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Oklahoma archival photo
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| Born | February 13, 1903 |
| Died | May 21, 2012 (aged 109 years, 98 days) |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | "Dad" Clark, World's Oldest Traveling Preacher |
| Occupation | Preacher |
| Known for | Butler for: Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford |
| Movement | Tulsa race riot |
Otis Clark (February 13, 1903 – May 21, 2012) was an amazing American man who lived to be 109 years old! He was one of the very last people alive who remembered the terrible Tulsa race massacre that happened on May 31, 1921. This event is known as one of the worst racial attacks in American history. Later in his life, Otis Clark worked as a butler for famous Hollywood movie stars like Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, and Joan Crawford. His wife also worked at Joan Crawford's home as a cook.
Early Life and the Tulsa Massacre
Otis Clark was born in 1903. He grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a city where people were separated by race. This was called segregation. Otis lived in the Greenwood area, which was for Black people. He wasn't allowed in stores in the main downtown area, which was mostly for white people.
On May 30, 1921, something happened that led to a terrible event. A Black teenager named Dick Rowland used an elevator in a downtown building. A store employee thought she heard a scream. She believed the white elevator operator, Sarah Page, had been attacked. Newspaper headlines quickly spread this story. This caused a huge and violent race riot in Tulsa on May 31, 1921.
The Tulsa Race Massacre
Otis Clark was 18 years old when the Tulsa massacre happened. He saw many people die during this time. He remembered trying to get a car to help victims. But then, gunfire came his way. Otis had to run for his life as people shot at him. His family's home was completely burned down. He believed his stepfather was killed during the massacre, as he was never seen again.
During this terrible event, white people destroyed 30 blocks of a busy African-American community. This area was known as "Black Wall Street." Many homes and businesses were ruined. About 38 people were known to have died, and over 200 were missing. The American Red Cross estimated that 10,000 people became homeless.
After the massacre, when he was 19, Otis Clark left Tulsa. He took a train to California to find his biological father. He faced some difficult times there. Eventually, he got married and found a job in Hollywood as a butler.
Later, Otis Clark had a spiritual dream. He felt called to become a preacher and do God's work. He became a traveling evangelist, sharing his faith across the United States and around the world. He officially became a minister in 1946. At 109 years old, he was the oldest living preacher still working. He stayed very healthy until he passed away.
A film called Before They Die was made later. It told the story of Otis Clark and the 1921 massacre. At the time of his death, 'Dad' Clark, as he was called, was the oldest person still alive who had survived the 1921 Tulsa massacre.
Health and Later Life
Otis Clark was 109 years old when he died in Seattle. He was known for being in excellent health almost until his death. He didn't use medicine, a hearing aid, or a cane to walk. Otis Clark was also very active. When he was 104, he traveled to Zimbabwe for a three-week mission trip. In January 2012, he visited Canada. He was even getting ready for another mission trip to Nigeria in 2013.
