Press Release
April 9, 2026
Contact: Blair Summers
Oklahoma History Center Museum, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-0789
[email protected]
okhistory.org/historycenter
America250 Event at Oklahoma History Center Museum to Highlight Only Black Member of Lewis and Clark Expedition
OKLAHOMA CITY — As part of the “America250” programming, the Oklahoma History Center Museum will host a special screening of “Big Medicine: York Outdoors” on Saturday, April 25, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
This documentary reclaims and elevates the story of York, the only Black member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, while following a group of Black outdoor leaders on a four-day expedition through Montana’s Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Their journey retraces the path of the original Corps of Discovery while honoring York’s legacy and highlighting the healing, empowerment and joy that the natural world can offer. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Dr. Gwendolyn Fuller Mukes, who took part in the 1958 Katz Drug Store sit-ins; Lauren Nixon, program coordinator for OKC Beautiful; and Tony Pascall, education coordinator for Oklahoma Forestry Services. The event is free and open to the public. No registration is required. Attendees will need to pay for admission if they want to visit the four museum galleries on the day of the event.
The Oklahoma History Center Museum is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr. in Oklahoma City. It is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Oklahoma History Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and is an accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums. 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.
###
