Oklahoma
This new app gives a unique tour of Oklahoma’s Black history
Oklahoma’s Civil Rights movement in photos
See Oklahoma’s Civil Rights, Katz Drugstore Sit-Ins movement in photos
Doris Youngblood remembers the excitement and sense of affirmation she felt as a young Black girl learning about Black Oklahomans who overcame the trials of racism and segregation to triumph as successful leaders in their communities.
As founder of Oklahoma Black Living Legacy, Youngblood and other members of the nonprofit hope to share that same excitement and pride with other Oklahomans through a new mobile app designed to educate users about the state’s rich Black history.
“This type of access to our history is important because it makes it readily available to people,” Youngblood said. “This is what Oklahoma Black Legacy is all about.”
The app will be officially introduced at a gathering set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 15 at the Oklahoma History Center, with live jazz music to be featured. Broadcast journalist Bob Dotson, the event’s keynote speaker, holds a special place in Youngblood’s heart because of all the Black history she learned watching “Through the Looking Glass Darkly,” his Emmy Award-winning documentary that aired in the 1970’s which focused on the history of Blacks in Oklahoma.
The app is designed for walking and driving tours of 31 sites in Oklahoma City, with some sites shining a spotlight on more than one person. All in all, the app tells 50 stories of historic people and places, like the mansion built by Dr. W.H. Slaughter, Oklahoma City’s first Black physician and property owner known for his generosity and love for his community. Youngblood and her husband Marq have owned the Slaughter Mansion since 2013 and they have restored the three-story structure not far from the intersection of Interstate 35 and NE 63.
Another house on the tour is that of Walter and Frances Edwards, who developed the Edwards housing addition to provide quality housing for Black families after World War II.
“We thought it was important to document these landmarks,” Youngblood said. “As people drive by, the site or significant person will pop up on a map. The map is interactive, and participants can take quizzes.”
Neighborhoods included on the tour include JFK, Deep Deuce and the Edwards Addition. Buildings will also take center stage, including the Jewel Theater, plus churches, schools and the homes and businesses of prominent Black leaders.
The app will highlight the stories of historic figures like author Ralph Ellison, civil rights leader Clara Luper, musician Charlie Christian, Dr. W.L. Haywood, haircare magnates Sidney and Mary Lyons, Dr. Charles Morgan, Dr. Gravelly Finley and musician, educator and theater owner Zelia Breaux.
Vision to highlight history
Other members of Oklahoma Black Living Legacy include James R. Johnson, Oklahoma Black Living Legacy chairman and grandson of developers Walter and Frances Edwards; Marq Youngblood, Doris Youngblood’s husband; Renita Fish-Wisby, the great-great niece of Dr. Haywood; Christian Jackson, Rozia McKinney-Foster and Marcus Young.
Doris Youngblood said their group has been anticipated sharing the app they created with the community-at-large. She said she has a background in project management and software development so she had an “inkling” of what she wanted to see created. She said an Oklahoma Historical Society Preservation Grant and other sponsors helped fund the project.
Volunteers with Oklahoma Black Living Legacy conducted the research for the app, with help from staff and volunteers at the Oklahoma History Center. The group said more information will be added to the app eventually.
Youngblood said she hopes people who engage with the app glean valuable insight into the lives of Black Oklahomans who lived, worked and raised their families with dreams of creating brighter futures.
“What I think about is how determined these folks must have been,” Youngblood said. “I mean, look at all they created.”
Much of what these pioneers created still stands. The Slaughter Mansion, Calvary Baptist Church, the Edwards Addition and the home of Walter and Frances Edwards are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
But the tour also highlights some historic sites that are gone. During visits to sites where the original buildings no longer stand, vintage photos will appear on the app, Youngblood said.
Johnson said the app is a way to help people look back at the past to gain a better understanding of their history.
“Hopefully, the children and youth that see this, they will have an image of what they can become,” he said.
“They can be anything they want to be.”
Oklahoma Black History app launch
- When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 15.
- Where: Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys and the USC Upstate Spartans meet in the first game of the Tuscaloosa Regional on Friday.
The Cowboys (37-20) and the Spartans (33-28) have never met on the diamond. Both enter the game on hot streaks. Oklahoma State didn’t win the Big 12 Tournament, but the Cowboys have won 11 of their last 14 games. The Spartans won the Big South Conference Tournament champions and have won 14 of their last 16 games.
The game is the first of two in Tuscaloosa. The second game features the host school, Alabama, facing Alabama State. The winners of the first two games will meet Saturday for a trip to the regional final on Sunday.
Oklahoma State fans can keep up with the game here, including lineups and inning by inning details on the game. Check out Oklahoma State On SI’s NCAA Tournament Central for everything related to the Tuscaloosa Regional.
Game Details
Oklahoma State vs. USC Upstate
Time: 1 p.m. central
TV: ESPN+ (Derek Jones & Jared Mitchell on the call). NOTE: TV is subject to change without notice. Game times and TV for games played after Friday will be announced.
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network & The Varsity Network App/93.7 KSPI-FM or okla.state/GetVarsity (Rex Holt on the call)
OSU Batting Order
The batting order for Friday’s game will be posted here when it is released by the team.
Tuscaloosa Regional
Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala. Venue: Sewell-Thomas Stadium (5,867).
Friday’s Games
Game 1: USC Upstate vs. Oklahoma State, 1 p.m., ESPN+
Game 2: Alabama State vs. Alabama, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Saturday’s Games
Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA (elimination game)
Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA (advances to Sunday’s final)
Sunday’s Games
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (elimination game)
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
Monday’s Game
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary)
(Times subject to change for TV purposes)
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Brent Swadley, owner of Swadley’s Bar-B-Q, found guilty in fraud trial
A jury convicted Brent Swadley of fraud for inflating invoices involving Oklahoma state park restaurants.
A jury convicted Brent Swadley, owner of a string of popular Oklahoma barbecue restaurants, at his fraud trial and chose prison time as his punishment.
The 12 jurors reached their unanimous verdict Thursday, May 28, in a felony case that focused on Swadley’s inflated bills for the renovation and operation of restaurants at six state parks.
Jurors found Swadley, 55, guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud the state and all five counts of presenting fraudulent claims to the state.
They chose five years in prison and a $25,000 fine as his punishment for the conspiracy. They agreed on one year in prison and a $10,000 fine as punishment on each fraudulent claims count.
Oklahoma County District Judge Susan Stallings could order Swadley to serve the time back to back for a total of 10 years.
Jurors voted for the maximum fines but showed leniency on prison time. Jurors could have chosen prison sentences totaling 20 years.
Sheriff’s deputies led Swadley from the courtroom in handcuffs to be taken to jail. Formal sentencing was set for July 16.
His defense attorney, David Smith, said, “We are not done fighting.”
Still to be decided by the judge is restitution. Prosecutors said Swadley defrauded the state of at least $3.1 million.
The owner of Swadley’s Bar-B-Q did not testify at his trial but has been outspoken in the past that he is innocent.
“The state attorney general … is pushing a false, politically motivated narrative accusing us of purposely misleading the government. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he wrote in an open letter to Oklahomans in 2024 after he was indicted.
Jurors took only 90 minutes to reach their verdict. “It was pretty easy,” one juror told prosecutors afterward.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who is running for governor, told reporters outside the courtroom that the case was never political.
“Mr. Swadley broke the law. His arrogance has been illustrated for the last four years, and I’m very happy that justice has been done,” Drummond said.
Swadley trial ends in guilty verdict, AG Drummond ‘proud’ of prosecution
A jury unanimously found Brent Swadley guilty of defrauding the state, sentencing him to five years in prison and $25,000 fine.
“I think we in state government have a tendency to trust Oklahomans,” he added. “I think it’s a lesson for state actors. We need to not trust as we have before.”
In a news release, the attorney general said, “Today is a win for Oklahoma and for the rule of law.”
Swadley signed a contract with the state in March 2020 to remodel and operate state park restaurants. The agreement was finalized weeks before COVID-19 shutdowns began across the world.
Swadley went ahead with the remodeling, completing work at four of the parks in months. His restaurants became a huge hit as Oklahomans spent more time outdoors because of the pandemic.
Jurors heard testimony that many of the invoices sent to the state for reimbursement of construction and other costs were marked up. Some were inflated as much as 300%.Swadley operated the state park restaurants under the company name Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen. The last one opened in 2022.
The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department in April 2022 canceled its contract with Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen due to “suspected fraudulent activity and questionable business practices.”Much of the testimony centered around meat smokers sold to the state in 2021. The cancelation of the contracts came after tourism officials learned the smokers were used.
Swadley put the smokers in at Robbers Cave State Park and Quartz Mountain State Park. They had been in storage after he removed them from a Swadley’s Bar-B-Q in Ardmore.
He paid $23,680 each for the smokers in 2018, according to evidence in the case. He billed the state $51,346 each for the smokers in 2021.
A restaurant supplier testified at trial that he faked paperwork that Swadley used to support the bill to the state. “He told me to make them as expensive as I could,” Mike McWhorter told jurors.
Swadley’s defense attorneys maintained at trial that it was an understood standard business practice to inflate invoices.
“Their case is − and this is no joke − Brent Swadley was supposed to do all of this construction work and not make a dime,” Smith told jurors in his closing argument.
The attorney said Swadley became the fall guy for a mess created by Jerry Winchester, the executive director of the Tourism Department at the time, and Gino DeMarco, the deputy director.
Smith argued that Winchester knew the smokers were used and lied at trial. Winchester told jurors he thought the state was buying brand new smokers.
The defense attorney also told jurors, “What we’ve got here is a paperwork dispute, not fraud.”
Prosecutors told jurors Brent Swadley was greedy and had said the state contract might save his business during the pandemic.
“Brent Swadley believes the rules do not apply to him,” Assistant Attorney General McKenzie McMahan said in his closing argument.
The key witnesses against Swadley were former employees.
His former vice president, Curtis Breuklander, and former chief operating officer, Tim Hooper, testified invoices were marked up at Swadley’s direction.
Breuklander, 51, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy count and four of the fraudulent claim counts. “I did all of this at the direction of Brent Swadley,” he said in his plea paperwork.
Under a deal with prosecutors, Breuklander was sentenced to probation for 10 years. He stopped working for Swadley in September 2021.
Hooper, 57, also pleaded guilty to the conspiracy count. He pleaded guilty to one fraudulent claim count and no contest to another fraudulent claim count.
Under his deal, Hooper was put on probation for five years. He was fired by Swadley in 2023.
Under the state contract, Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen was reimbursed for the costs of improvements to the restaurants, up to a limit. The state also covered the company’s operating losses, at first up to $1 million a year and later up to $2,116,900 a year.
The state further paid the company management fees, at first $571,808 per year and later $1,332,000 per year.
Swadley is expected to appeal. His defense attorneys are expected to complain about the judge’s refusal to let two expert witnesses testify at trial.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
The roof of a home in Oklahoma City collapsed following a fire early Thursday morning, according to firefighters.
The Oklahoma City Fire Department says firefighters were called around 2 a.m. to the scene of a fire at a home near Southeast 29th Street and South Shields Boulevard.
After arriving at the scene, firefighters reported flames coming from the home and serious structural damage, including the roof, which had collapsed due to the fire.
Additionally, OKCFD reported this was not the first emergency services response to the home, with a call for medical services being placed to the same address only a few hours earlier.
“We know that earlier today, they’d made a medical call over here,” OKCFD Battalion Chief Greg Lindsay said. “Somebody was staying in that building, so we’re being extra careful to check and make sure that everybody got out.”
No injuries were reported. Fire investigators believe the cause was related to a cooking incident.
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