Every Memorial Day weekend, thousands of visitors travel to Boley, Oklahoma, for one of the nation’s oldest and longest-running African-American rodeos.
Now, many believe the annual Boley Rodeo is helping fuel something even larger — a broader effort to revive the historic Black town through tourism, redevelopment, cultural pride, and renewed investment in its future.
As this year’s rodeo approaches, signs of change are visible throughout the town founded in 1903, four years before Oklahoma became a state.
Last year, visitors arriving at the rodeo grounds saw dramatic improvements after years of wear and decline. The overgrown grounds were cleaned up, the arena was expanded by 50 feet, old wooden bleachers were replaced with modern seating, and upgrades were made to the announcer stand, concession areas, and bullpen spaces.
Karen Ekuban, who returned to Boley in 2020, said the group behind the rodeo renovations inherited facilities badly in need of attention.
“The conditions were very, very poor when we received it,” Ekuban said in a recent interview. “The grass was taller than me and you, and it just needed some care and some love.”
Ekuban launched Project 2020 Foundation as part of a partnership focused on revitalizing Boley and later joined two partners in successfully bidding to operate the rodeo.
She credited previous organizers with doing the best they could with limited resources, but said grants, partnerships, and reinvestment have helped accelerate improvements in recent years.
The changes are already attracting attention.
Ekuban said more than 5,000 people attended last year’s rodeo and organizers had to turn people away after reaching capacity. Organizers expect another sellout this year as word continues spreading about the improvements and the growing energy surrounding the event.
Investment and Redevelopment
Among those helping drive the town’s redevelopment effort are Wichita residents Tarrance Floyd and Jackie Floyd, who was born and raised in Boley and graduated from Boley High School in 1981.
The Floyds are helping invest in the town’s future through the Boley Bear Plaza project, which includes a Phillips 66 gas station, convenience store, restaurant, and a planned nine-room hotel near Highway 62.
The development is also connected to plans to renovate the former McCormick restaurant building into a welcome center for visitors traveling through Boley. Plans for the building also include a restaurant and additional visitor amenities.
Across the street from the planned welcome center site is the marker identifying Boley as a stop on Oklahoma’s Civil Rights Trail. The statewide trail highlights locations connected to Black history and civil rights history, including Tulsa’s Greenwood District and several of Oklahoma’s remaining historic Black towns.
A Town With Deep History
Boley was once among more than 50 all-Black towns established in Oklahoma by formerly enslaved African-Americans seeking land ownership, opportunity, and self-governance after Reconstruction. Today, only 13 remain.
At its peak, Boley had banks, cotton gins, an electric company, brick plants, businesses, and a thriving downtown district. By 1910, the town’s population had grown to more than 1,300 residents.
But like many rural communities, Boley later struggled with population decline as farming and railroad activity faded. By 1980, the population had dropped to just over 400 residents. Since then, the town has steadily rebounded, growing back to nearly 1,100 residents by the 2020 Census — a sign many residents see as part of Boley’s continuing comeback.
Today, local leaders see heritage tourism and cultural events like the rodeo as an important part of Boley’s future.
Mayor Dr. Francis Shelton, who also owns the town’s hardware store, described rodeo weekend as a giant homecoming for families spread across the country.
“It brings family home,” Shelton said. “There’s excitement in the air.”
What Visitors Can Expect
This year’s rodeo takes place Saturday, May 23, at the Boley Rodeo Arena, but the town is expected to buzz throughout Memorial Day weekend with reunions, food vendors, music, and visitors arriving from across the country.
The celebration traditionally includes a parade through town before crowds gather for children’s rodeo activities, entertainment, food, shopping vendors, and the evening rodeo itself.
One fan favorite is Pony Express, a fast-paced relay-style horseback event organizers describe as unique to Boley and unlike anything many visitors have seen at other rodeos.
Tickets are available through the official Town of Boley website at thetownofboley.org and cost $20 for general admission and $35 for reserved seating.
Organizers encourage visitors to buy tickets early and print them in advance because cellphone and internet reception in the rural area can be unreliable. Visitors are also encouraged to bring cash since digital payment systems may not always work consistently during the event.
For many who return each year, the rodeo is about more than entertainment.
It is about preserving history, strengthening community ties, and helping ensure one of America’s historic Black towns continues moving forward.
