The Last Hope for African Methodism: Flipper-Key-Davis in the Age of Race Uplift

Abstract

In 1917, leaders of the African Methodist Episcopal Church founded Flipper-Key-Davis University in Tullahassee, Oklahoma. The university served as the only private Black educational institution within the state until 1936 when it officially closed. During its operation, Flipper-Key-Davis University was dedicated to uplifting the African American race through spiritual advancement and educational progression. As such, the university dealt with both external and internal pressures of race uplift that dominated early twentieth century African American discourse. While Langston University is the sole Historically Black College currently operating in the state of Oklahoma, there are several defunct institutions that were once dedicated to African American education in the state. This thesis focuses on Flipper-Key-Davis University, a defunct HBCU that once operated in Oklahoma, in the hopes of offering a more nuanced approach to examining twentieth century Black education and uplift rhetoric.