City of Tempe, AZ
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See a show, take a class, visit an exhibit or gallery in Tempe! Explore all of the creative and cultural experiences the city has to offer at Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe History Museum and Edna Vihel Arts Center. The Arts & Culture Division develops and manages the city's arts and culture programs and services including Tempe Community Arts and Tempe Public Art. Tempe is dedicated to enriching the lives of the local and extended community by providing life-long engagement through accessible cultural, social, and educational experiences.
Tempe History Society Lunch Talks
- Date: 04/09/2025 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
- Location: Tempe History Museum
809 E. Southern Avenue
Tempe, Arizona 85282
Tempe History Society Lunch Talks
“The History of Okemah, Tempe’s African American Community” by The Okemah Community Historical Foundation
Wednesday, April 9, at 11:30 a.m.
Okemah was a once-vibrant African American community in southeast Phoenix, from Broadway Rd. to the Salt River bottom, and from 32nd St. to 48th St. Growth in Okemah began around 1910 but decline started in the early 1960s when the neighborhood was bisected by the I-10 freeway, and the area was zoned for industrial development, driving families away. By the mid-1990s, nearly all of Okemah’s residents were gone. Today, the Okemah Foundation provides historical perspectives of the people, community infrastructure, and lifestyle that folks enjoyed when Okemah was a place called home.