Raymond D. Gary
Encyclopedia
Raymond Daniel Gary was the first Governor to be born in Oklahoma
since statehood. His birth date was January 21, 1908, and his birthplace, a farm midway between Madill, Oklahoma
and Kingston, Oklahoma
. He was educated in the local schools and Southeastern State College
. After five years of teaching he was elected County Superintendent of Schools and served for four years. In 1936, he began his business career, first in school and office supplies, later as President of the Sooner Oil Company. He was a State Senator from 1941 until he became Governor January 10, 1955, for a four-year-term. He died December 11, 1993, and is buried in Madill.
through Clinton, Oklahoma
is locally designated as Gary Freeway or Gary Boulevard in honor of the former governor in commemoration of Gary's promises and efforts to push for improvements of US-66 into a four-lane highway through Western Oklahoma during his administration. Those efforts ultimately led to US-66 being transformed into Interstate 40, which bypasses Clinton's south side. Gary Boulevard is also designated as Clinton's I-40 Business Loop.
Gary also led and supported efforts to improve the state highway system in all areas of Oklahoma during his tenure as governor, particularly the major highways that criscrossed the state and expressway routes through the two largest cities, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. It was during Gary's tenure that the Oklahoma Department of Transportation oversaw efforts to survey and approve the routes of the Interstate Highway System through the state including east-west Interstate 40 and north-south Interstate 35.
He reportedly said, "You know, this is the right thing to do. We're all God’s children, and that's what we're going to do.” Speaking of Gov. Gary in the days following his death, Republican Gov. Henry Bellmon commented, "He led the state through the initial integration era and successfully integrated our schools without any of the violence and complications that erupted in many of the Southern states."
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
since statehood. His birth date was January 21, 1908, and his birthplace, a farm midway between Madill, Oklahoma
Madill, Oklahoma
Madill is a city in Marshall County, Oklahoma, United States. The city was founded in 1901 and is named for George Alexander Madill, an attorney for the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, popularly known as the Frisco. The 2009 population estimate was 3,781...
and Kingston, Oklahoma
Kingston, Oklahoma
Kingston is a town in Marshall County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,390 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Kingston is located at ....
. He was educated in the local schools and Southeastern State College
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Southeastern Oklahoma State University, often referred to as Southeastern and abbreviated as SE, or SOSU, is a public university located in Durant, Oklahoma, with an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 4,229 as of 2009.-History:...
. After five years of teaching he was elected County Superintendent of Schools and served for four years. In 1936, he began his business career, first in school and office supplies, later as President of the Sooner Oil Company. He was a State Senator from 1941 until he became Governor January 10, 1955, for a four-year-term. He died December 11, 1993, and is buried in Madill.
State Highway Contributions
U.S. Route 66U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
through Clinton, Oklahoma
Clinton, Oklahoma
Clinton is a city in Custer and Washita counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 9,033 at the 2010 census.-History:The community began in 1899 when two men, J.L. Avant and E.E...
is locally designated as Gary Freeway or Gary Boulevard in honor of the former governor in commemoration of Gary's promises and efforts to push for improvements of US-66 into a four-lane highway through Western Oklahoma during his administration. Those efforts ultimately led to US-66 being transformed into Interstate 40, which bypasses Clinton's south side. Gary Boulevard is also designated as Clinton's I-40 Business Loop.
Gary also led and supported efforts to improve the state highway system in all areas of Oklahoma during his tenure as governor, particularly the major highways that criscrossed the state and expressway routes through the two largest cities, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. It was during Gary's tenure that the Oklahoma Department of Transportation oversaw efforts to survey and approve the routes of the Interstate Highway System through the state including east-west Interstate 40 and north-south Interstate 35.
Civil Rights Leadership
One of his first actions was to order the "whites only" and "colored only" signs removed from the Capitol's restrooms. He also declared his intent to make the state comply with the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which declared segregation in the public schools unconstitutional. In a statewide radio address, he said: "I feel sure that defiance of the Supreme Court mandate will not be tolerated. School boards which might entertain such ideas will find themselves on their own. Certainly the State of Oklahoma cannot possibly defend such action." As part of his effort, he won passage of an amendment to the state Constitution that discarded the financing of separate schools for whites and blacks.He reportedly said, "You know, this is the right thing to do. We're all God’s children, and that's what we're going to do.” Speaking of Gov. Gary in the days following his death, Republican Gov. Henry Bellmon commented, "He led the state through the initial integration era and successfully integrated our schools without any of the violence and complications that erupted in many of the Southern states."