Invented Oklahoma:
Myth, Memory, and the Making of the Sooner State
The Oklahoma History Symposium
The 2027 Oklahoma History Symposium will be held on Saturday, May 1, 2027, at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. Presented by the Oklahoma Historical Society, the symposium is a one-day event that encompasses a range of historical topics pertaining to Oklahoma. It provides a venue for scholars, students, educators, and community members from across the state and region to share their work and interests with others.
Call for Proposals
This year’s theme is Invented Oklahoma: Myth, Memory, and the Making of the Sooner State. Oklahoma has long been concerned with its public image on a regional, national, and international stage. For example, the Golden Driller monument in Tulsa recalls a perceived golden age when the city served as “the Oil Capital of the World.” Meanwhile, with the 2028 Summer Olympics on the horizon, Oklahoma City promotes itself as “the Modern Frontier” and a regional destination. Oklahoma history is full of stories that have been raised to mythic proportions. But whereas myth tends to erase nuance and reinforce stereotypes, we welcome proposals that convey new findings or introduce innovative methodologies that challenge and complicate our understanding of Oklahoma and the region that we call home. We encourage proposals that engage key themes in history and related fields. Above all, we look forward to submissions that foster collaboration and understanding among individuals, communities, and organizations from across the state and region.
Session formats may include:
- Individual Presentation: Lecture format with time for audience discussion.
- Panel Presentation: Traditional format with up to three presenters as well as a chair and/or commentator
- Roundtable: A structured discussion among multiple speakers with assistance from a moderator. A roundtable should include multiple perspectives and allocate sufficient time for discussion among speakers and the audience.
We seek submissions that represent the diversity of peoples, places, and communities in which Oklahoma history is lived, shared, and studied. Individuals are not prohibited from presenting in consecutive years, but we will give preference to first-time presenters and those who have not recently presented. While submissions for individual presentations are welcome, please note that such presentations may be combined with similar proposals to make a panel presentation. Participants may be presenting members of only one session, but may also serve as chair/moderator of a second session.
The deadline for submissions is November 15, 2026.
Questions? Please email [email protected] or contact Membership Officer Tory Tedder-Loffland at 405-522-0843.
Explore Past Events
2026 Oklahoma History Symposium
2025 Oklahoma History Symposium
2024 Oklahoma History Symposium
2023 Oklahoma History Symposium
2022 Oklahoma History Symposium
2021 Oklahoma History Conference (virtual)
