Less than a month after its dedication, the new Clara Luper National Sit-In Plaza in downtown Oklahoma City has been vandalized by unknown perpetrators. Someone used what appeared to be a key or small pocket knife to scratch nearly every bronze sculpture depicting individuals, including the image of civil rights icon Clara Luper herself. The damage was discovered after the plaza was dedicated on November 1 at the intersection of Robinson Avenue and Main Street.
The plaza features a massive 4-ton bronze lunch counter with life-sized depictions of Clara Luper, 13 NAACP Youth Council members, and a Katz Drug Store employee. "It looked like a kid did it," said John Kennedy, the project's developer and co-chairman of the committee that oversaw the plaza's design and construction. Kennedy emphasized that while the vandalism was disappointing, it caused only minor surface damage without any structural harm to the bronze sculptures.
The art installation commemorates a pivotal moment in civil rights history when 13 members of the NAACP Youth Council, led by schoolteacher Clara Luper, participated in a sit-in on August 19, 1958, at the Katz Drug Store's lunch counter. The students each ordered a Coca-Cola, directly challenging the store's discriminatory policy of refusing to serve Black customers at the lunch counter, which was standard practice during the Jim Crow era. Although the students were refused service on that first day, their persistent demonstrations led to Katz Drug Store changing its discriminatory policy within three days.
This successful sit-in became a catalyst for numerous similar protests across Oklahoma and throughout the nation, marking Oklahoma City as the birthplace of the national sit-in movement. The plaza stands on the exact location where the original Katz Drug Store once operated, creating a powerful connection between past and present.
In response to the vandalism, Kennedy revealed that security cameras were installed at the plaza last week, though unfortunately not before the damage occurred. According to a spokesperson from the Oklahoma City Police Department, no official police report has been filed regarding the incident. Kennedy has been in contact with the original creators to discuss repair options.
The bronze sculptures were created by StudioEIS, an internationally acclaimed sculpture and design firm based in Brooklyn, New York, which spent four years developing the art installation. The firm worked directly with surviving sit-in participants to ensure historical authenticity. Oklahoma artist LaQuincey Reed contributed by helping to sculpt Luper's likeness and provided additional support for the project. The sculptures were cast at Artworks Foundry in Berkeley, California.
Kennedy consulted with both the sculptors at StudioEIS and leaders at Artworks Foundry about repairing the damage. "They said they can show us how to touch it up," Kennedy explained. The repair work is planned to coincide with the installation of interpretive signage that will explain the historical significance of the civil rights scene to visitors. This educational signage is expected to be installed within the next few weeks.
The plaza project had been in development since 2018, representing years of planning and community effort. During the November 1 dedication ceremony, many speakers emphasized the critical importance of commemorating this pivotal moment in Oklahoma City's civil rights history. The Reverend Lee Cooper Jr., who served as co-chairman of the plaza committee alongside Kennedy, delivered remarks highlighting the significance of the moment.
"Today, we dedicate the Clara Luper National Sit-In Plaza in recognition of the courage and the strength of Clara Luper and those original 13 sit-inners," Cooper stated during the dedication ceremony. "This story, for too long, has not been told and has largely gone unnoticed, but today we proclaim Oklahoma City as the birthplace of the national sit-in movement."
Oklahoma County District 1 Commissioner Jason Lowe strongly condemned the vandalism in a statement released on Tuesday. "It is deeply disappointing to see such a meaningful landmark defaced, especially one that stands as a beacon of courage, justice, and inclusion," Lowe declared. "An attack on this plaza is not just vandalism; it is an attack on the values we stand for as a community and on the legacy of Clara Luper herself. We will not tolerate it."
Commissioner Lowe emphasized that the plaza serves as more than just a memorial, describing it as "a living reminder of the power of peaceful protest and a cornerstone of Oklahoma City's civil rights heritage." He expressed gratitude to the committee that led the plaza project, thanking them "not only for strengthening security measures, but for ensuring the sculpture will be repaired quickly and respectfully." Lowe stressed that the committee's ongoing efforts are essential to preserve this important historical site and prevent future incidents from occurring.
