LUTHER, Okla. (KFOR) — It was a safe haven during segregation for African American travelers. A civil rights landmark on Route 66 now has a marker that will last for generations, and KFOR was there at the unveiling at the Threatt Filling Station near Luther.
The monument stands tall atop a hill on Route 66. Those passing by Threatt’s Filling Station will now be able to better recognize the significance of an icon along the highway.
“All I can do is think about what Grandpa was saying,” Edward Threatt said. “Way back during his time, what we’re doing right now wasn’t possible. If a black man was on camera, it was probably something negative. There’s nothing negative about what’s going on here. Everything is positive.”
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The Threatt family legacy was here before the Mother Road got its name. It opened in 1915 as the first black owned filling station along Route 66. All were welcome, but it served as a safe haven between sundown towns, where African Americans weren’t safe to stay after dark. They could go there to seek food, fuel, drinks, and even sometimes friendly faces.
“The future, I believe, is brighter than what the past has been,” Threatt said…