Press Release
April 25, 2025
Contact: Jessica Brogdon
Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-0780
[email protected]
okhistory.org/grants
The Friends of the Coleman Awarded $22,500 for Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Project
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is pleased to announce that The Friends of the Coleman has been awarded $22,500 through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program. This funding will support sharing Oklahoma’s Coleman Theatre with the world via the Oklahoma Historical Society’s The Gateway to Oklahoma History website.
“The Coleman Theatre is a treasured landmark with a rich history that deserves to be shared far beyond our local community,” stated Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, Adair. “This grant will help bring a portion of its archival collection to a wider audience through digital access, allowing more people to appreciate and learn about this iconic part of Oklahoma’s cultural heritage.”
“This generous grant from the Oklahoma Historical Society will enable The Friends of the Coleman to fulfill its mission of sharing the fascinating story and history of Oklahoma’s premier vaudeville theatre with the world,” stated Carole White, president of The Friends of the Coleman. “By placing digitized images of irreplaceable, one-of-a-kind documents, articles, photographs and artifacts on the OHS Gateway to Oklahoma History website, we will be partnering with the OHS to make our information available and easily accessible to scholars, researchers, and history buffs who want to know more about Oklahoma’s wonderful and proud past, as well as our state’s cultural progress going forward.”
The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program awarded more than $577,000 to 40 projects statewide this year, supporting initiatives such as collections care, exhibit development, strategic planning and educational programming.
“The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program is a powerful tool for connecting communities with their history,” said Trait Thompson, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society. “These grants help local organizations preserve and share stories that might otherwise be lost, strengthening our shared identity and ensuring that future generations can experience Oklahoma’s rich heritage.”
The grant program supports tribal and municipal governments and not-for-profit historical organizations throughout the state. Awards range from $1,000 to $25,000 for projects that advance the collection, preservation and sharing of Oklahoma history. Applications for the next grant cycle will open this fall. For more information, visit okhistory.org/grants.
The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications, the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit okhistory.org.
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