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Sharing the story of Oklahoma—it's what we do. |
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It is remarkable that the Oklahoma Historical Society collection houses over 9 million images. Of that vast repository, the handful seen here were all taken between 1898 and the year of Oklahoma statehood in 1907.
The faces tell a collective story of the growth of a state—some eagerly pushing into the territory, others having been forcibly removed here from their homelands, still more facing tremendous adversity, and all living through hardship and hard work that we can scarcely imagine today. These people forged their way, survived removals, faced inequality, sought education, and navigated broken treaties. As they worked to sustain their families and their heritage, they could never know how much their stories are deeply valued in the work we do as an institution.
The OHS feels a responsibility to unite our state’s historical narrative, give voice to real experiences, and spark a civil discourse. Looking to the past opens a dialogue about our collective future.
At the OHS, we are digitizing our holdings, digging deeper into our manuscripts and newspapers, listening to hours of audio recordings, working the land at our historic homes, and burning the midnight oil to uncover the rich and diverse history of our state so that it can be preserved for those who take up the mantle after us. With your help, we will continue in our efforts to add perspectives to conversations about our past.
The OHS stands committed to our mission to collect, preserve, and share the history and culture of all Oklahomans. Please help us in our work by clicking below to make a donation to our Annual Giving Campaign.
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The OHS is currently seeking a full-time Multicultural Officer to join our team!
The primary responsibility of this position will be to develop program and outreach initiatives focused on Oklahoma’s diverse heritage and historically underrepresented communities.
The OHS Multicultural Office was established in 2020 to create a more diverse and inclusive state historical narrative that will fully represent and engage all Oklahomans. Subsequently, the Friends of the OHS Multicultural Office, a 501(c)(3) organization, was formed to support the office in fundraising endeavors and to serve as a community advisory group for the OHS.
View the job description at www.okhistory.org/jobs.
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Click event listings below for more information.
30 - From the Collection: American Indian Art and Photographs exhibit closes, Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School, Perry
30 - Drummond Heirlooms exhibit closes, Fred and Addie Drummond Home, Hominy
30 - "Space: The Final Frontier" Smithsonian program (VIRTUAL), Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
1 - "Life at Hunter's Home: Ghost Stories" begins (VIRTUAL), Hunter's Home, Park Hill
1 - Annual Quilt Show opens, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
1–2 - Doaksville Candlelight Tours, Fort Towson Historic Site, Fort Towson
2 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
2 - History and Haunts at the Overholser, Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, Oklahoma City
9 - Maps and Mapmaking: Historical Maps of Oklahoma exhibit closes, Chisholm Trail Museum and Horizon Hill, Kingfisher
9 - Will’s Barter Bash, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
9 - Women’s Day at the Museum: “Crinolines and Separating Busks” presentation by Melissa Grice, Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School, Perry
9 - Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center Annual Gala, Stride Bank Center, Enid
9 - History and Haunts at the Overholser, Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, Oklahoma City
9 - Casserole Carrier Basket Making workshop with Linda Lou Alexander, Fort Towson Historic Site, Fort Towson
15 - “Mix’n It Up Under the Stars” Tom Mix Museum fundraiser, Timber Oaks Event Center, Bartlesville
15 - History and Haunts at the Overholser, Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, Oklahoma City
15–16 - Tom Mix Roundup Days, Tom Mix Museum, Dewey
16 - Folklife Festival, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
16 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
16 - International Archaeology Day celebration, Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center, Spiro
16 - Family Day at the Museum, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
16 - “Let’s Talk About It” Book Discussion Series, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
20 - Thrift Style exhibit closes, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
20 - Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
21 - Historic Preservation Review Committee meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
22 - “Ghost Stories After Dark” Facebook Live tour (VIRTUAL), Hunter’s Home, Park Hill
22 - “Museum After Dark: Village Sounds” featuring Riley Jantzen, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
25 - “We’re Back: He’s Back” Kilgen Organ performance featuring Jelani Eddington, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
27 - Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
27–30 - Research Center Book Sale, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
28 - Oklahoma Capitol Restoration Project presentation by Trait Thompson, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
29 - Movie Night featuring Max Schreck in Nosferatu (1922), Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
29–30 - Ghost Stories Candlelight Tours, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
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Bunt Schrimscher and Pixie Mayes during carnival day at the Cherokee Female Seminary near Tahlequah, Indian Territory, c. 1900–02 (20661.12, Jennie Ross Cobb Collection, OHS)
This photo was taken by Jennie Ross Cobb (1881–1959), who is considered to be the first known Native American female photographer. Cobb was the great-granddaughter of former Cherokee Nation Principal Chief John Ross. She lived at Hunter's Home in Park Hill as a young woman, returning in the 1950s as the home’s first caretaker. The home is a National Historic Landmark, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and part of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.
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