Richison Family Foundation donates $150,000 to Clara Luper Sit-In Plaza

The Richison Family Foundation announced Thursday a gift of $150,000 to the creation of the Clara Luper Sit-In Plaza. The public plaza will commemorate civil rights activist Clara Luper and her monumental sit-in protest at Oklahoma City’s Katz Drug Store in 1958.

“Clara Luper’s courage and leadership helped shape the civil rights movement in both our state and country,” said Chad Richison, founder of the Richison Family Foundation and Chamber member Paycom. “Mrs. Luper’s story and message will be amplified for Oklahomans and visitors through the creation of this plaza. We’re grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this meaningful project.”

Planned for construction at West Main Street and North Robinson Avenue in downtown Oklahoma City, the Clara Luper Sit-In Plaza will tell the story of Luper's non-violent sit-in protest and its role in in the civil rights movement.

An Oklahoma City school teacher at the time, Luper and a collection of her students staged a sit-in protest at Katz Drug store, a segregated establishment on the site of the planned plaza. Because of Luper’s leadership and vision for equality, the sit-in led to the ending of Katz’s lunch counter segregation and inspired similar peaceful protests across the country.

The $3.6 million monument will visually convey this historical moment through a 16-foot bronze reproduction of the Katz Drug Store lunch counter surrounded by life-sized bronze sculptures of Luper, her 13 students and a lunch counter employee. Several stone walls will be engraved with historical information to provide visitors with context and further details on the sit-in's outcomes.

“While the public campaign will begin soon, leadership gifts in the early going are especially helpful. We are incredibly grateful for Chad’s generosity by providing one of the lead gifts, which we believe adds significant credibility to the project,” said David Rainbolt, fundraising chair for the capital campaign.

The projected is expected to be completed in 2024.