Black cyclists in Oklahoma bike 600 miles to all 13 Black Towns

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GREENWOOD Dist. – Osborne Celestain has been cycling long distances since 2006, but it’s always been his dream to do a multi-day Black cyclists ride. Last September, Celestain rode the inaugural Black Towns of Oklahoma Bike Tour to the 5 towns surrounding Muskogee, about 50 miles south of Tulsa. 

A Local Odyssey: Embracing a 600-Mile Tribute to Oklahoma’s Black Towns

For his next challenge, he initially planned to travel out of state for the ride, but he ultimately chose to stay in Oklahoma, biking to 13 of the remaining all-Black Towns within the state.

“And I said, you know, instead of going out of state to do this, why don’t I ride all 13 Black Towns to help promote [this year’s] event and also promote the towns,” he said. 

And so, he and his friend Eyakem Gulilat, a visual artist and photographer based in Tulsa, two Black cyclists, set forth 600 miles along Route 66 on Celestain’s 66th birthday, April 11th – their first stop, Langston. 

“It was perfect timing to go on this epic adventure. All these sixes just seemed to line up,” he said. It took them 7 days to complete the ride.

The first leg of their journey covered 88 miles. Celestain noted that the weather was mostly beautiful, and the atmosphere on the first day they set out was celebratory. 

“The different news crews were setting up shooting videos as we rode, and it was very festive,” Celestain said. 

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Testing Resilience: Overcoming Rain and Mud on the Road to Brooksville

His number one rule for biking long distances is to never go out when there is severe weather, but rain and mud are no issue for him. After spending the night in Langston, it started pouring the following morning. 

They waited for the rain to stop. “Then, we headed out, and the first road we hit getting to Brooksvile was a gravel road. There’s like two feet of mud. I’m on a bike with fat tires, so that’s easy for me to get through, but Eyakem on the other hand has a road bike with thinner tires,” he said. 

Celestain was concerned that his friend might consider quitting due to the challenging stretch of road covered in thick mud. “I’m thinking Eyakem is probably not going to ride this, and I felt bad,” he said. 

He told Gulilat it’s ok to hang up his bike. “But my friend was committed to finishing this just as much as I was, and said, ‘we’re not going to quit.’” For the first 5 miles, Celestain and Gulilat took their time up hills and through dirt roads.  

Celestain noted that there were numerous opportunities to quit along the way, but engaging conversations with community members about food, wellness, and the town’s history helped keep their spirits high. 

Black cyclists: Pedaling Through History

“The Mayor of Tatums had gift baskets prepared for us. We learned all about the history of the town and got to talk about issues concerning food and health and cycling,” he said.

For Eyakem, biking through all 13 towns was a meditative experience that allowed him to be placed in the center of America’s history. “Cycling is another way of deeply remembering how important it was for Black folks to build these towns and navigate America a century ago,” he said. 

Celestain is organizing a bike ride called Remember Black Wall Street that will take place on June 1st. He’ll also be participating in a bike ride happening June 31st in OKC and the second annual Black Towns Bike Ride happening September 21st. 

Osborne Celestain’s Black cyclists’ 600-mile bike ride across Oklahoma’s historic Black towns was more than an athletic feat; it was a tribute to the resilience of these communities. Alongside Eyakem Gulilat, Celestain transformed a physical journey into a cultural exploration, deeply connecting with the history and ongoing struggles of the areas they visited. As he continues organizing events like the Remember Black Wall Street ride, Celestain not only celebrates Black history but also fosters awareness and unity within the community.