'Historic injustice': Board recommends OKC Council approve name change for location

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The Metropolitan Library Commission voted Thursday to send a resolution requesting a name change for a controversial library to the Oklahoma City Council.

The library location in question is the Wright Library at 2101 Exchange Avenue. It's named after John H. Wright, who served as chairman of the Oklahoma City Library board in 1921. The library opened its doors in 1925.

"It's our oldest location," said Jason Kuhl, CEO of the Metropolitan Library System. "We are recommending to the city changing the name from the Wright Library to the Stockyards City library."

The reason for the change, brought up in Thursday's meeting and supported with historic documents shared online. The documents state that in 1921, Wright participated in a vote barring Blacks from the city's only library for six months until a second segregated library was built. Documents state Wright told Black leaders at the time the "principal reason for the elimination and expulsion" of Blacks was due to the "overcrowded condition of the building."

"We, as a system, like any other systems, has had racial issues throughout its history," said board chair Brian Alford during Thursday's meeting.

All board members in attendance voted to recommend the name change, with the resolution noting the decision to name it after Wright originally as a "historic injustice." Kuhl further explained their reasoning to News 4 when asked.

"The history of the library can't change, but our values today don't necessarily, well, they certainly don't reflect that action that was taken," said Kuhl.

Board members stated they weren't able to find any of Wright's surviving family members to weigh in. News 4 asked Kuhl about potential backlash from the recommendation.

"We need to reflect our values today," said Kuhl. "Those values change, and it doesn't erase the history, and in fact, this building has Wright carved into it in stone. That will remain because it's literally part of the building."

Board members noted that Mayor David Holt, who is a member of the board due to his title, has also supported the name change. News 4 reached out to a spokesperson for Holt for comment, but he declined until the city vote.

You can read the resolution from the board members below: