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Join the Oklahoma Historical Society on Wednesday, April 2, at 3 p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center to commemorate 100 years of the Oklahoma state flag, which was first adopted on April 2, 1925. The current flag was designed by artist Louise Fluke, who won a statewide contest hosted by the Oklahoma Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The flag features an Osage war shield on a blue background. An olive branch and calumet lay across the shield, with seven eagle feathers adorning the bottom edge.
The event will include speeches or presentations by Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear of the Osage Nation, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, OHS Executive Director Trait Thompson and representatives from the Oklahoma Society Daughters of the American Revolution and the Centenarians of Oklahoma. Students from Oklahoma City University will also perform. A small exhibit will showcase some items in the OHS collections related to the flag. Cake and refreshments will be provided. Admission to the Oklahoma History Center Museum will be free from 2:30-5 p.m. on the day of the event. The event is free and open to the public.
Read more about the history of Oklahoma's state flags in The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.
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Hammered Aluminum exhibit explores bygone treasures |
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The Fred and Addie Drummond Home in Hominy will open an exhibit showcasing hammered aluminum ware from Wednesday, April 2, to Wednesday, April 30. Visitors can view beautiful examples of hammered aluminum metalware, such as salad dishes, cookie trays, and pitchers with matching tumblers.
The exhibit is included with paid admission.
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On Saturday, March 29, come to The Chisholm for a day filled with cowboy fun at the Annual Chuck Wagon Gathering. Drop in to see a variety of working chuck wagons from across the region as they prepare some of their favorite dishes for visitors to try. Live music will feature Kyle Dillingham, Peter Markes, Jim Garling, Susanne Woolley, and Wayne Cantwell. Other activities include cooking demonstrations with sample food, gunfights, Wild West Show performers, Medicine Man shows, and more! Activities are free and run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please call the Museum at (405) 375-5176 for more information.
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Iman: Two Journeys of Faith, Rooted in Oklahoma’s Heartland film screening and discussion panel |
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On Thursday, April 10, the OHS Multicultural Office will host a film screening and discussion panel for Iman: Two Journeys of Faith, Rooted in Oklahoma’s Heartland. Check-in begins at 5 p.m. for the screening and panel discussion, which will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. The panel will consist of the film producers and other individuals involved in the project and moderated by Dick Pryor, general manager at KGOU Public Radio.
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I Ain’t Afraid: The World of Lulu Bell Parr, Wild West Cowgirl book signing with author Diane Helentjaris |
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On Thursday, April 10, from 6 to 8 p.m., author Diane Helentjaris will give a presentation at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center entitled “Lulu Bell Parr’s Ride into Oklahoma History,” based on the subject of her book I Ain’t Afraid: The World of Lulu Bell Parr, Wild West Cowgirl (2024).
The book focuses on the life and adventures of Lulu Bell Parr, the once-famous and later-forgotten “Queen of the Cowgirls.”
In 1903, Lulu Bell Parr ran away from the doldrums of life as a divorced, uneducated, and poor Midwesterner to join up with Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Show. Beautiful and strong, she became an outstanding horsewoman, toured the world, and “many times…flirted with death.”
Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event. The book signing and discussion are included with paid admission. This event is open to the public.
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Back In Time: “Alfalfa Bill” premiere screening and panel discussion |
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The Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, in partnership with the Oklahoma Historical Society, invites the public to a special screening of Back in Time: “Alfalfa Bill.” The new episode will dive into the legacy of one of Oklahoma’s most controversial and colorful leaders, William Henry David “Alfalfa Bill” Murray.
The event will take place on Thursday, April 10, from 1 to 3 p.m., in the Chesapeake Event Center and Gallery at the Oklahoma History Center.
Following the screening, stay for an insightful panel discussion featuring the episode’s producer and special guests. The panelists will provide deeper insights into the life of the 9th Governor of Oklahoma. Audience members will have the opportunity to engage with the panelists and ask questions.
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 The Oklahoma History Symposium will be held on Saturday, May 3, at the Oklahoma History Center. Award-winning filmmaker Loren Waters (Cherokee/Kiowa) will be the keynote speaker for the event. Waters will share about her short documentary Meet Me at the Creek, which focuses on Rebecca Jim’s (Cherokee) efforts to restore Tar Creek in Miami, Oklahoma. Find out more about this free event.
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On Friday, April 11, the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center will host another Museum After Dark Liquid History event beginning at 6 p.m., entitled "Flash & Fizz."
Historical interpreters will take ticket holders through the history of sodas. While touring the Humphrey Heritage Village, guests will learn about the history of some of the most beloved carbonated drinks, from how they started to the popular soda fountains of the 1950s! Each stop will feature a sample of a fizzy beverage or a mixed concoction that includes soda as the main ingredient. This event is for all ages and will be sure to create a bubbly experience for all!
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Elderberry Tonic workshop |
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Calligraphy class with the Japan America Society |
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The Oklahoma History Center Museum will hold a calligraphy class with the Japan America Society on Saturday, April 12, from 1 to 3 p.m. Pricing is $24 for Oklahoma Historical Society members and $34 for non-members. All supplies will be provided, and registration closes on Saturday, April 7.
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Last week of the #ExploreOHS Travel Contest! |
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The Oklahoma Historical Society’s annual #ExploreOHS Travel Contest, will be held through Monday, March 31. Participants are competing to see who can visit the most Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) museums and historic sites across the state in the month of March 2025! The Travel Contest is open to the public, and all entries must be submitted on social media using the #ExploreOHS hashtag.
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Oklahoma is home to several illustrators and creatives who have created characters for comic books and the big screen, including Chester Gould (pictured left). He was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma Territory in 1900. Gould was a cartoonist and is best known as the creator of the Dick Tracy comic strip. He wrote and illustrated this classic strip about the tough-talking crime fighter from 1931 to 1977, with the foresight to imagine a “2-way wrist radio” and a day when we would all have smartwatches on our wrists.
With your support, the OKPOP plans to create an OKPOP Action space in its Imagined Worlds 2nd-floor exhibit area to introduce guests to over a century of action heroes. Oklahoma creatives are the heart and soul of the state.
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Follow the OHS website calendar to learn about all of our events and programs at OHS museums and historic sites across the state! From seasonal events to celebrations, exhibits, films, educational classes, workshops, our calendar is constantly changing with the latest programs and activities. |
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Connect with the Oklahoma Historical Society on social media—where you can learn more about Oklahoma history and get up-to-date information about events and exhibits across the state!
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Masthead image: Cowgirls from the Miller Brothers’ 101 Ranch Wild West Show, 1907 (19439.3.34.2, Mabel Tompkins Collection, OHS). |
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March is Women's History Month
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Women’s history is celebrated in the month of March, the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) invites the public to learn about the incredible contributions of Oklahoma women through its valuable online resource. Visit the Women in Oklahoma History page on the OHS website to learn about women as trailblazers, creatives, pioneers, artists, journalists, aviators, tribal leaders, and so much more. The finding aid has a wide selection of online tools, from publications to educational resources. Learn about the women who helped shape the state’s history through articles, photographs, biographies, audio, video, online exhibits, and more. |
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