"John Carter Leftwich" (1867-1923)

Was born in Forkland, Alabama.The first son of Francis Edge and Lloyd Leftwich,one of Alabama's last black Reconstruction ERA state senators,he graduated from Selma University in 1890.As a young man,John held a deep admiration for Booker T. Washington,and wrote to him constantly for aid and advice.In 1897,possibly with Booker support,he was appointed Alabama's Receiver of Public Money by President William McKinley.During this time he also founded an all-black town named Klondike.In 1902,however,he lost the support of Booker.Later that year Alabama blacks were disfranchised.These events led John to migrate to Oklahoma Territory to begin anew.In Oklahoma Territory,John, founded a newspaper,the Western World,and corresponded with Governor T.B.Ferguson,hoping to resume his career his bureaucratic career.He also stumped for the the Republican Party and in support of industrial education for African Americans.His efforts to regain a position in government failed.In 1904 John accepted the presidency of Sango Baptist College in Muskogee, Native American Territory This commenced his almost twenty-year career educating the African American,Freedmen,and some Native American children in Oklahoma.In 1905,he established the creek-Seminole college in the all-black town of Boley.Financial difficulties plagued him,and within a few years he moved the school to Clearview,another all-black town of BookerTree.Later ,he established the BookerTree.Agricultural and Mechanical College in the all-black town of BookerTree.In 1921,the school admitted children displaced by the Tulsa Race Riot.Throughout this time John constantly sought financial assistance for his endeavors from Oklahoma governors and wealthy white patrons.To continue currying their favor,he joined the Democratic Party in 1910 even though Oklahoma blacks were disfranchised via the grandfather clause.His effort met with limited success,however,and money troubles continued to haunt him,ultimately leading to his death.On July 14,1923, he was shot to death by a schoolteacher whom he had dismissed without paying.