Doris Youngblood
“It's almost daily I find something amazing about the Slaughters and the Randolphs and the Finleys. They not only built wealth for themselves, they were determined to help others in the community build wealth.”
— Doris Youngblood
About
Doris Youngblood and her husband, Mark, have found themselves accidental preservationists after purchasing the Dr. W.H. Slaughter Mansion in Oklahoma City. Following a career at the Pentagon, Youngblood stumbled upon the home’s listing while exploring her daydream of a second career as the owner of a Bed and Breakfast. While touring the mansion, the couple became enchanted by its architectural beauty, particularly the arched doorways and crank steel windows present in nearly every room. During the tour, the property agent informed the Youngbloods about Dr. W.H. Slaughter’s legacy as the first African American physician in Oklahoma City. Fascinated by the story of a man who was so significant to Oklahoma’s past and yet omitted from history books and community narratives, the Youngbloods decided to purchase the mansion.
The couple spent two years renovating the mansion before opening it to the public to ensure that the Slaughter family’s history would be shared with the community. The experience inspired Youngblood to found Oklahoma Black Living Legacy, a nonprofit centered on researching and preserving the interwoven histories of the Slaughter, Randolph, and Finley families. Her work twines traditional preservation with modern technology in the OKC Legacy Tours and Civil Rights Trail Tour apps, which allow users to access archival photos and historical information about OKC via their smartphones. The apps have attracted international attention, with the Civil Rights Trail Tour app reaching over 10,000 downloads in its first month, including significant interest from Switzerland and Austria. Youngblood believes passionately that these narratives play an essential role in the broader story of Oklahoma history and should not remain hidden.
Her Story
As the steward of Dr. Slaughter’s mansion, Doris Youngblood has spent countless hours researching at local libraries and archives to piece together the story of Dr. W.H. Slaughter’s journey to becoming one of the most influential men in Oklahoma City.
Events
The Randolph Family and 89ers
The Randolph family arrived in Oklahoma as 89ers, initially living in dugouts and tents. They demonstrated extreme ingenuity by turning their tents into boarding homes, renting out sections to other migrants to build the capital necessary to become prominent landlords in Deep Deuce.
Dr. W.H. Slaughter's Success
Dr. Slaughter, the first Black physician in Oklahoma City, arrived with only 25 cents after paying for his room and board. He eventually parlayed his medical practice into massive wealth, including 48 properties, oil leases, and even his own airport.
Supporting the Black Dispatch
Dr. Slaughter allowed Roscoe Dunjee to run the Black Dispatch newspaper from his building scot-free during a period of financial hardship, highlighting the mutual aid that sustained Black media.
Funding Thurgood Marshal
Youngblood shares the documented history that Dr. Slaughter provided the funds to bring Thurgood Marshall to Oklahoma for his first case in the state, defending a man falsely accused of murder in Idabel.
Locations
Frederick A. Douglass High School
Youngblood identifies JD Randolph (Dr. Slaughter’s father-in-law) as the founder of the first Black school in Oklahoma City, which later became Douglass High School.
W.H. Slaughter Mansion
Built in 1937, this historic mansion was a working farm that may have expanded across up to 460 acres. Doris and her husband currently serve as stewards of the home.
Dr. Slaughter’s Private Airport
Dr. Slaughter owned his own airport located roughly two miles from his mansion. The site is currently occupied by Rudy’s Construction, where portions of the grassy runway are still visible.
Slaughter Building/ Slaughter’s Hall
Located at 303 North Styles, this three-story building housed the Randolph Drugstore on the bottom floor, while the upstairs Hall served as a dance and meeting venue where artists like Count Basie and Charlie Christian performed.
Dr. Haywood’s Building
Located in Deep Deuce, this building currently houses the Deep Deuce Grill; the original door leading to Dr. Haywood’s practice is still present.
Dr. Finley’s Office
Dr. Slaughter’s son-in-law, Dr. Finley, opened a practice located in Deep Deuce on a site currently occupied by the Aloft hotel, adjacent to the old Calvary Baptist Church.
Contributions
- Through her nonprofit, Oklahoma Black Living Legacy, Youngblood researches and shares the rich history of "Black greatness" in Oklahoma City.
- The Youngbloods act as stewards for the historic W.H. Slaughter mansion, which they purchased and spent two years renovating to serve as a cultural landmark.
In Her Own Words
- “I can't find one African American civic organization, business organization, civil rights organization that they [the Slaughter family] did not contribute to.”
- “That was Dr. Finley. He did not hurry. He took his time with his patients…. He was really a doctor that cared about his patients. It was just an amazing thing to me, the amount of time, now that I look back on that visit, that he took with each person.”
- “I love about the family, their generosity and the way that they cared about people.”
- “I have found, I would say, probably 300 to 400 different stories through this family that I had not known about, and have had thoughts that, ‘Why weren't we taught this history?’ It's phenomenal. It is, and it should not be hidden.”
- “People are interested in Oklahoma's Black history… Don't hide this beautiful story. It's not just our story… It's everyone's story because it's a part of Oklahoma history.”
