Bowser continued to work on issues of civil rights for African Americans . In 1920 , Bowser became a member of the Citizen 's League of Kansas City Inter-Racial Committee , nominated by the NAACP and the Colored Civic League . The bi-racial committee included six black and six white members : Nat Spencer , L. A. Halbert , Walter Matscheck , O. J. Hill , R. M. Maxwell , B. M Stigall , Bowser , William Alphian , S. W. Bacote , R. T. Coles , John Love , and Frank Neal . The organization worked with the city to attempt to diffuse racial violence and improve housing conditions for blacks in the city . In 1921 , Bowser published poem , " O Darkest Tulsa " , a lament for the terrible race riot in that Oklahoma city , which killed numerous blacks and left hundreds homeless after widespread fires . The poem was published on October 1 , 1921 in the '' Kansas City Sun '' . That same year , Bowser attended the NAACP national convention in Detroit
race riot
Tulsa race riot
J. Dallas Bowser