Primary Sources, Black History

Listen to The Gist of Freedom tonight as we talk with Jennifer Nelson a descendant of the historical black town, Boley OK. One of the first nationally chartered black-owned banks, Farmers and Merchants Bank in Boley, Oklahoma, an all-black town successfully fended off “Pretty Boy” Floyd’s Bank Robber's Gang!  ON NOVEMBER 23, 1932, three members of Charles A. “Pretty Boy” Floyd’s gang made the worst mistake of their lives. They tried to rob the state’s first nationally chartered black-owned bank Farmers and Merchants Bank in Boley, Ok, an all-black town of proud-walking pioneers. Up to that point, the Floyd gang had been robbing an average of a bank a week, usually without any resistance. Gangster Floyd  had warned his gang members against robbing the Boley bank because, the people of Boley all had guns, knew how to shoot them and weren't afraid to use them.  Photos: Boley Council Members, Boley Bank,  SEMINOLE NEGRO INDIAN SCOUTS _ They didn't heed Floyd's warning and Birdwell and Patterson, armed burst