James G. McCullagh and Tangala A. Saffold have worked tirelessly to compile a database of newspaper articles that, "will be of interest to historians, sociologists, genealogists, and others searching for their ancestors, not only for information about those who died but also how “Negroes” were presented in the media in the late 19 Century and first decade of the 20 Century."
"This compilation of death notices, primarily of African Americans, covers the years between 1870, when The Cherokee Advocate resumed publication, and 1907, when the State of Oklahoma was established. Now, not generally available or accessible to most people without considerable effort to retrieve them."
"The newspapers that were reviewed include The Tahlequah Arrow (1896-1907) and The Cherokee Advocate (1870-1906), the two newspapers that had been published over an extended period in Tahlequah, and The Indian Arrow (1888-1903), the Indian Sentinel (1891, 1895, 1897-1889), The Telephone (1888-1890, 1894), Cherokee Telephone (1890-1891), the Weekly Capital (four issues in 1896), the Tahlequah Courier (three issues in 1893), the Tahlequah Leader (two issues in 1904), and The Tahlequah Telephone (1887-1888)."
An example of their valuable work is presented for the reader:
CARTER, Sherman: Negro Killed Negro. Sunday night Charles Coleman, a negro who lives a mile from Boynton, went to Muskogee and surrendered to Joe Hubbard, stating that he had killed Sherman Carter, another negro, and that he wanted to give himself up. The shooting took place on Sunday night. Coleman stated that he was riding along the road and met Carter. The latter opened fire on him. Both emptied their guns. A bullet went through Coleman’s hat and one from Coleman’s gun went through Carter’s head killing him instantly. Coleman took the gun Carter used and came on to town after he had notified the people of Boynton what had happened. Coleman is a Texas negro and has been a cook at Spaulding’s ranch near Boynton for a long time. He did not stand well with the Creek negroes. He had on several occasions assisted the officers in making some arrests and for this he was disliked. It is understood a mob was formed there Sunday night and went to the house where Coleman lived and would have mobbed him had he been there. Coleman and Carter it is said were courting the same girl, one of the Sugar girls of that neighborhood, and it is supposed that this rivalry started the ill feeling between them. TahArr, Aug 15, 1903, p.
5. [Sat]
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