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January 2024
OCSS State Conference
Be sure to mark your calendars and keep an eye out for more details about this year’s annual OCSS State Conference to be held January 30, 2024 at the Oklahoma History Center! The Oklahoma Council for Social Studies is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing resources and professional development to all social studies educators in Oklahoma. Registration for the conference comes with a membership to OCSS. Register for the OCSS State Conference. Make an application for a session proposal. Applications will…
Find out more »February 2024
Antique Doll Exhibit opens
The Fred and Addie Drummond Home in Hominy will host an exhibit of antique dolls throughout February. This exhibit will showcase a selection of rare and unique dolls dating back to the early 1900s, long before Barbie’s popularity, when bisque, porcelain, and leather were used to form dolls. German-made dolls by Armand Marseille, Kestner, and Koppelsdorf will be featured. Beginning on Thursday, February 1, and ending on Thursday, February 29, this exhibit will surely delight doll collectors and lovers alike.…
Find out more »February Living History: 19th-Century Commerce
In February, every Thursday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m., the Fort Gibson Historic Site will hold a living history program about early 19th-century commerce. This come-and-go program will provide an interpretation of commerce among the American Indian nations and other settlers in the area. Examples of goods of the era will be on display. When Fort Gibson was established in 1824, it was the westernmost military outpost of its day. With 300–500 hundred…
Find out more »Blacksmithing Demonstration
On Saturday, February 3, the Cherokee Strip Museum will be holding a Blacksmithing Demonstration in the blacksmith shop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests can enjoy watching the craftsmen work and will have an opportunity for safe hands-on experiences. Families are welcome to attend and watch the demonstrations inside the Blacksmith Shop on the grounds of the Cherokee Strip Museum. For more information about all of the activities planned, please call 580-336-2405. Free admission for all but donations are…
Find out more »History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip
Step back in time and experience life in the Cherokee Outlet during History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid. On the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the four historic territorial buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village come to life with reenactors dressed in period clothing from the late 1800s. Attendees can sit at school desks in the Turkey Creek one-room schoolhouse while lessons are…
Find out more »“The History of John Brown” presentation by Dr. Jennifer Murray
On Saturday, February 3, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Honey Springs Battlefield and Visitor Center, author and teaching associate professor at Oklahoma State University Dr. Jennifer Murray will present “The History of John Brown.” After the presentation, visitors are encouraged to tour the Encountering John Brown exhibit, view the 3D Battle of Honey Springs film, and tour Oklahoma’s largest Civil War battlefield. Dr. Jennifer Murray’s presentation will supplement the history presented in the Encountering John Brown exhibit and add…
Find out more »Discover Greatness: An Illustrated History of the Negro Leagues exhibit opens
On Friday, February 9, the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC) will open the exhibit Discover Greatness: An Illustrated History of the Negro Leagues which tells the complex history of Negro Leagues baseball. It is a truly American story, full of aspiration, injustice, triumph, and complexity.
The interactive exhibit explores the history of Black baseball, through chronological chapters. From the beginning, the leagues had their roots in racism, the so-called “gentleman’s agreement” that effectively shut Black ballplayers out of big league competition for the first half of the 20th century.
The leagues also provided a structure for Black agency and entrepreneurship. In February 1920, African American team owners convened at a YMCA in Kansas City to form a league of their own, the Negro National League (NNL). The NNL and the other professional Black baseball leagues that followed created a forum where star players could showcase a style of speed, daring and showmanship that would come to characterize the special excitement of Negro League play.
The Negro Leagues remained a robust institution for other Black players until one of their own, the Kansas City Monarchs’ Jackie Robinson, broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947. Three months later, former Newark Eagles star Larry Doby integrated MLB’s American League.
Find out more »The Foresaken and The Dead: Bass Reeves Trilogy book discussion with Sidney Thompson *canceled*
On Tuesday, February 6, at 7 p.m., the Museum of the Western Prairie will welcome author Sidney Thompson. He will present a book discussion of The Forsaken and The Dead (2023), the third book in his Bass Reeves Trilogy.
Thompson is returning to Altus to present this popular trilogy’s third and final book and to share his experiences working as a consultant on the Lawmen: Bass Reeves Paramount+ mini-series.
Find out more »Everyday Oklahoma: Fascinating Stories about Familiar Places, “All-Black Towns in Oklahoma”
This first installment of SHPO’s 2024 Speaker Series, “Everyday Oklahoma: Fascinating Stories about Familiar Places,” will explore the topic of All-Black Towns in Oklahoma. The featured speakers are Gina Sofola, AICP, president and owner of Sofola & Associates, and Kory Van Hemert, architectural historian for Stantec. The free webinar will occur online on Thursday, February 8, at 2 p.m., Central Time, lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes. Register for this webinar. Oklahoma had more than 50 identifiable All-Black towns between…
Find out more »Museum After Dark: Date Night at the Museum
On Friday, February 9, from 7 to 9 p.m., impress your Valentine with a date night at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center! Inside the museum, couples can explore the Discover Greatness: An Illustrated History of the Negro Leagues exhibit while enjoying baseball-themed hors d’oeuvres, a choice of romantic beverages, and typical Valentine’s treats to supplement the museum experience. The Humphrey Heritage Village will be open as a part of this “Museum After Dark” event for participants to see Oklahoma’s…
Find out more »Quilting Workshop
The Quilting Workshop meets on the second Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Sod House Museum for $5 per person. Learn to create appliqué designs, traditional block patterns, original designs, crazy quilts, landscape designs, and paper piecing. New members of any skill level are always encouraged to attend! Share in the happy exchange of shared skills, fun, camaraderie, refreshments, discussions, quilt patterns, and old-fashioned bed turnings at the next quilting workshop. Proceeds directly fund Sod…
Find out more »“Crochet a Little: Flowers for Valentine’s Day” workshop with Avril Martin
On Saturday, February 10, from 1 to 3 p.m., crochet artist Avril Martin will teach students how to crochet flowers. This class is meant for beginners with a basic knowledge of crochet stitches. Tutorial videos will be emailed out ahead of time to students who enroll in the workshop. Tickets are $30 for members and $35 for non-members, with a special $50 deal for couples. Register for the workshop. About the artist: Avril Martin describes themselves as a multifaceted human…
Find out more »Lunch and Learn: “Preserving Dr. Wyatt H. Slaughter’s Home and Family Legacy” webinar
On Tuesday, February 13, 2024, at noon, The State Historic Preservation Office will hold a webinar session of the SHPO’s “Lunch and Learn” series focused on the efforts underway to preserve the home and family legacy of Dr. Wyatt H. Slaughter, Oklahoma City’s first Black doctor, and his wife, Mrs. Edna Randolph-Slaughter. Register to reserve your spot.
Find out more »“Pal”-entine’s Mixer
On Wednesday, February 14, the Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue will open its doors for a “Pal”-entine’s Mixer for singles and friends to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The after-hours event is geared toward adults looking to celebrate Valentine’s Day. From 4 to 6 p.m., the mixer will feature gallery strolls, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, sweet treats, music, and shopping. Bring your friends and pals to receive a 10% discount in the museum’s gift shop. Consignment items in the gift shop will not…
Find out more »Valentine’s Day Couples Night
On Wednesday, February 14, the Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue will open its doors for a Valentine’s Day Couples Night between 7 and 9 p.m. This date night experience will encourage couples to take turns through the museum’s galleries while listening to romantic music and partaking in drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and sweet Valentine’s treats. After viewing the galleries, guests can shop with a 10% discount on all items. Consignment items in the gift shop will not be included in any…
Find out more »From the Stacks: Readings from the Carnegie Library
The Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library in Guthrie will offer the evening educational program, From the Stacks: Readings from the Carnegie Library, examining various book titles. The series will take place at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of January, February, March, and April inside the Carnegie Library. OTM curator/registrar Michael Williams will lead the discussion, exploring the historical context in which the authors lived and wrote the works. Save the dates below, which list the books and authors chosen for the…
Find out more »Art Night
The Oklahoma History Center will host a free, open house Art Night on Friday, February 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. Attendees will learn about the traditional and modern art forms practiced in Oklahoma. Visitors can participate in historical art forms, buy locally made art at an artists’ market, and participate in an open mic for artists of all mediums. The event is free and open to the public. No registration is necessary. Are you interested in becoming a vendor?…
Find out more »History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip
Step back in time and experience life in the Cherokee Outlet during History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid. On the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the four historic territorial buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village come to life with reenactors dressed in period clothing from the late 1800s. Attendees can sit at school desks in the Turkey Creek one-room schoolhouse while lessons are…
Find out more »Osage Ribbonwork Class with Ruth Shaw **class is full**
A series of four programs taught by Osage artist Ruth Shaw will introduce the techniques of making Osage ribbonwork. The classes will occur at the White Hair Memorial in December 2023 and January 2024. Each student will create an Osage ribbonwork piece to take home with them. The classes will be held on four Sundays: December 3 December 10 January 21 *postponed to February 4 due to weather* January 28 February 18 Each class will take place from 1 to…
Find out more »Kilgen Theatre Organ performance featuring Tedde Gibson and the silent film Captain January (1924)
On Monday, February 19, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., a Kilgen Theatre Organ performance will be held in the Devon Great Hall at the Oklahoma History Center (OHC) featuring organist Tedde Gibson accompanying the silent film Captain January (1924). Tedde Gibson is one of a few musicians able to play classical and theatre pipe organ as well as jazz and gospel on the Hammond and piano. He integrates these styles into his theatre and classical pipe organ playing—the ultimate vehicle…
Find out more »Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meeting *canceled*
The Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meeting previously scheduled for February 21, 2024, has been canceled. Agendas will be available online 24 hours prior to the meeting at okhistory.org/BOARD. Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at the Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105.
Find out more »Movie Night featuring Ernest Goes to Jail (1990)
Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore will host a FREE Movie Night featuring the classic film Ernest Goes to Jail (1990) in its theater on Friday, February 23. Admission to the movie is free, and guests can also enjoy free popcorn and drinks while watching the film, thanks to the Bank of Commerce’s sponsorship. Because seating is limited, the doors will open at 6 p.m. Please call 918-341-0719 for more information.
Find out more »“Make Your Own Tea Blend: Grown in Oklahoma” workshop
The Oklahoma History Center will host a second meeting of the workshop “Make Your Own Tea Blend: Grown in Oklahoma” on Saturday, February 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. Participants will learn the basics of creating tea blends while making a blend to take home. Tickets can be purchased online and are $20 for members of the Oklahoma Historical Society and $25 for nonmembers. The registration deadline is Saturday, January 13. Register for the February 24 workshop.
Find out more »Will’s Garage Sale
On Monday, February 26, and Tuesday, February 27, the Will Rogers Memorial Museum (WRMM) will hold "Will’s Garage Sale,” a spring cleaning sale. The sale will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on both days. The museum is working to clean out duplicate copies of books and other materials in preparation for the development of WRMM’s new facility. This is a good opportunity for the public to purchase books and treasures.
Find out more »OkNHD Professional Development workshop for Teachers
Join National History Day and the Oklahoma Historical Society to learn about bringing inquiry-based learning to your classroom for the 2024/2025 academic year. The free OkNHD Professional Development workshop will be held at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, at 100 W. Campus Dr. in Weatherford, on Wednesday, February 28, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants will learn about a grant supported by the Bezos Family Foundation, which includes teacher stipends and budgets for classroom supplies. This workshop is open to…
Find out more »Antique Doll Exhibit closes
The Fred and Addie Drummond Home in Hominy will host an exhibit of antique dolls throughout February. This exhibit will showcase a selection of rare and unique dolls dating back to the early 1900s, long before Barbie’s popularity, when bisque, porcelain, and leather were used to form dolls. German-made dolls by Armand Marseille, Kestner, and Koppelsdorf will be featured. Beginning on Thursday, February 1, and ending on Thursday, February 29, this exhibit will surely delight doll collectors and lovers alike.…
Find out more »March 2024
Trust and Betrayal in Osage Country exhibit closes
The Oklahoma History Center Museum exhibit Trust and Betrayal in Osage Country, which explores the true-life murders of wealthy Osage people in the 1920s, will be displayed in the ONEOK, Inc. Gallery until March 1, 2024.
The crimes are detailed in David Grann’s 2017 book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. A movie based on the murders was released in October 2023, two weeks after this exhibit opened. It is estimated that two dozen members of the Osage Nation were murdered in the 1920s in a plot to get Osage wealth. Most of the crimes were not investigated by local authorities.
The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr. in Oklahoma City. It is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Please call 405-522-0765 or visit www.okhistory.org/historycenter for admission costs and group rates.
Find out more »Pioneer Mother Monuments discussion and book signing with author Cynthia Culver Prescott
The Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue will host a discussion and book signing with Cynthia Culver Prescott, author of the book Pioneer Mother Monuments: Constructing Cultural Memory (2019), on Friday, March 1, from 1 to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The book explores aspects of American pioneer monuments, historical memory, and modern reexamination of monument culture. Prescott will use images of frontiersmen and pioneer mothers in her presentation on the topic.
Prescott earned her Ph.D. in history from UCLA. She is currently a professor of history at the University of North Dakota. She has written about and continues to study Western history, the anthropology of commemoration, and quilt studies. The Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue is located at 701 Monument Rd. in Ponca City. For more information, please call 580-765-6108 or visit pioneerwomanmuseum.com.
Find out more »History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip
Step back in time and experience life in the Cherokee Outlet during History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid. On the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the four historic territorial buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village come to life with reenactors dressed in period clothing from the late 1800s. Attendees can sit at school desks in the Turkey Creek one-room schoolhouse while lessons are…
Find out more »Oklahoma Women’s History Conference
The Oklahoma History Center will host a free Oklahoma Women’s History Conference on Saturday, March 2, from 1 to 4 p.m. The moderators will be Sarah Eppler Janda and Patricia Loughlin, the editors of This Land is Herland: Gendered Activism in Oklahoma from the 1870s to the 2010s (2021). The first panel discussion will take place from 1 to 2:15 p.m. The topic is early Oklahoma women’s activism, featuring speakers Heather Clemmer, Sunu Kodumthara, and Farina King. There will be…
Find out more »Poetry Writing and Zine-Making Workshop with Alannah Banae *canceled*
The poetry writing and zine making workshop previously scheduled for Saturday, March 2 has been canceled. Alannah Benae will work with students on poetry writing and walk them through creating a zine. Poets of all experience levels, from beginners to long-time writers, are invited to join the workshop. Benae is a local writer, poet, and writing instructor. She is an enrolled member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe and is also Oglala Lakota, Kickapoo, Delaware, and Cheyenne-Arapaho. Her work has been…
Find out more »Bob Wills Day at the Capitol
An annual celebration of an Oklahoma music icon is returning to the Oklahoma State Capitol on Monday, March 4. The Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Historical Society have announced this year’s lineup for Bob Wills Day at the Capitol, which will include live music performances by Western swing musicians from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Capitol’s second-floor rotunda. Free and open to the public, Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys, under the direction of Jason Roberts, will be headlining this…
Find out more »Poetry reading and discussion with award-winning poet Ken Hada
On Tuesday, March 5, at 7 p.m., Western Heritage Award-Winning poet Ken Hada will share poems from his books The Way of the Wind, Contour Feathers, and Come Before Winter. Ken Hada is a poet and professor at East Central University in Ada, where he directs the annual Scissortail Creative Writing Festival. Ken finds the natural rhythms of nature a powerful inspiration for his writing. He has been recognized as a six-time finalist for the Oklahoma Book Awards and received…
Find out more »Lunch and Learn: “Creativity in the Preservation World: How to Reach a Younger Generation” with Jessica Scott
On Wednesday, March 6, at noon, Jessica Scott, the Director of Community Development in Ardmore, will lead a webinar presentation about creative approaches toward promoting preservation efforts in her city. One example of creativity in preservation is the Main Street Kids Activity Book, utilized by the city to educate junior preservationists. Through word games, puzzles, fun facts, and coloring book pages, budding historians can explore the history of Ardmore’s most historic buildings. Ardmore’s Preserve America Community received its official Preserve…
Find out more »Living History Education Day
On Thursday, March 7, the site will bring history to life with Living History Education Day—a free event! Living historians will demonstrate historical skills and educate guests while wearing period clothing, teaching guests what life was like at Fort Towson more than 180 years ago. Living History Education Day will present multiple learning experiences about life at the military outpost during the 1840s, when it was a vital resupply point for soldiers headed south to engage in the Mexican-American War.…
Find out more »1840s Encampment
On Friday, March 8, and Saturday, March 9, the Fort Towson Historic Site will host an 1840s encampment from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. The fort will be brought back to life with reenactors wearing historical clothing while organizing period games, demonstrating the uses of historical tools, participating in the ongoing encampment activities, and camping in period tents on the grounds. The public will experience tool demonstrations, see laundresses at work, and observe domestic skills, blacksmithing, drills, and…
Find out more »Museum After Dark: Lantern Tours *canceled due to weather*
The “Museum After Dark: Lantern Tour” event previously scheduled for Friday, March 8, has been canceled due to poor weather conditions. We apologize for any inconvenience, and hope everyone stays dry and warm! For more information about this event, please call 580-237-1907.
Find out more »Quilting Workshop
The Quilting Workshop meets on the second Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Sod House Museum for $5 per person. Learn to create appliqué designs, traditional block patterns, original designs, crazy quilts, landscape designs, and paper piecing. New members of any skill level are always encouraged to attend! Share in the happy exchange of shared skills, fun, camaraderie, refreshments, discussions, quilt patterns, and old-fashioned bed turnings at the next quilting workshop. Proceeds directly fund Sod…
Find out more »1840s Encampment
On Friday, March 8, and Saturday, March 9, the Fort Towson Historic Site will host an 1840s encampment from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. The fort will be brought back to life with reenactors wearing historical clothing while organizing period games, demonstrating the uses of historical tools, participating in the ongoing encampment activities, and camping in period tents on the grounds. The public will experience tool demonstrations, see laundresses at work, and observe domestic skills, blacksmithing, drills, and…
Find out more »Civic Learning Week: Will Rogers and Congress
From Monday, March 11, through Friday, March 15, the Will Rogers Memorial Museum will launch a series of engaging lessons for educators as part of Civic Learning Week. The online lesson series is designed to summarize good citizenship and to teach students how to be informed members of society through material featuring journalist, comedian, and political commentator Will Rogers. Each lesson includes a short video about Will Rogers and his influence on politics with accompanying discussion questions. The five lessons—one…
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