OHS EXTRA! - November is Native American Heritage Month

Oklahoma Historical Society sent this bulletin at 11/17/2021 05:00 AM CST

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History Center Research Museums & Sites Preservation Publications

November 17, 2021

Celebrating the Life of

Wilma Mankiller

Wilma Pearl Mankiller was born 76 years ago on November 18, 1945, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. She was the first woman elected as principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, serving from December 1985–1995.

Among her many honors, Mankiller was inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame in 1986, the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998.

Listen to the Voices of Oklahoma interview with Wilma Mankiller and John Erling in 2009, one year before her passing in 2010.

November is Native American Heritage Month

Explore the American Indian Archives at OHS

The Oklahoma Historical Society is the keeper of millions of important documents and manuscripts that are a part of the John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick Research Center holdings. The OHS's vast archives include federal Indian records placed in the society's custody in 1934 by an act of Congress. Containing more than 3.5 million documents and 6,000 volumes, the collection represents 66 tribes. These tribes were either relocated by removal or are native to the area. The records include a variety of official documents and information relating to tribes in Indian and Oklahoma Territories.

At this time the American Indian Archives is being reprocessed. The staff and volunteers of the Manuscript Archives are replacing folders and boxes for preservation, updating the online catalog, and working to make the collection more available for research.

A partial index to the OHS American Indian Archives is now available online.
Search the index to the OHS American Indian Archives

OHS American Indian Records and Resources

OHS Board of Directors nominations open

Nominations for the Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors are now open. The OHS is governed by a 25-member board of directors, of which 13 are elected by the OHS membership and 12 are appointed by the governor of Oklahoma. If you or someone you know are interested in serving as an elected member the OHS Board of Directors, please click here for information, an application, and a map of the representative districts. There are currently four positions available: District 1, District 3, and two state at-large. You must have been a member of the OHS for at least two years to serve on the board. Nominations will be reviewed by the OHS Nominating Committee, and incomplete nominations will not be considered. Ballots will be sent to the OHS membership in February 2022 and will be due in April 2022. Please refer to the OHS Constitution and Bylaws for more information about board elections, or email Larry O’Dell at lodell@okhistory.org with any questions.

Learn more about the current OHS Board of Directors

“Life at Hunter’s Home: Winter Celebrations” begins

December at Hunter’s Home in Park Hill is all about winter celebrations, and staff members aim to continue the tradition through the “Life at Hunter’s Home” Facebook group. The Facebook group brings a version of the site’s events and programs to a larger audience. To celebrate the holidays, the Facebook group will be free to join during the month of December. The merry activities and videos that will be featured during December include a cooking demonstration, an ornament-making demonstration, a behind-the-scenes vlog of staff preparing the site for the holidays, and a tour of the house once the holiday decorations are all in place.

Those interested in free all-access to the “Life at Hunter’s Home: Winter Celebrations” Facebook group for the month of December can call 918-456-2751 or come by the site Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to register.

Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch Christmas Lights

Will's Country Christmas

Visit Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch in Oologah for Will’s Country Christmas on Friday, December 3, and Saturday, December 4, from 5 to 9 p.m.

The ranch house will be decorated for an Indian Territory Christmas. The evening will include storytelling, Wild West shootouts, children’s crafts, 19th-century games, carriage rides, a shooting gallery, music, vendors, and food trucks. Guests will also have the opportunity to take a Wild West hayride by the shores of Oologah Lake. Free pictures with Santa will be offered to families! Admission to Will’s Country Christmas is free, but there is a charge of $5 for the hayride for guests ages 15 and older.

For more information please visit www.willrogers.com or call 918-341-0719.

OHS COVID-19 safety measures

Per CDC guidance, we recommend that visitors who have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccination wear face masks and maintain social distancing in indoor public areas. All visitors, staff, volunteers, contractors, and vendors should use appropriate handwashing techniques.

We ask that you avoid visiting OHS museums, sites, and affiliates if you have COVID-19, are experiencing symptoms, have a fever, or are otherwise feeling sick or unwell.