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TODAY AT THE HISTORY CENTER!!!
Commemorating 100 Years of the Oklahoma State Flag
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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 Geoffrey Standing Bear, Principal Chief of the Osage Nation; Matt Pinnell, Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma; Trait Thompson, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society; Sue Allen, Honorary State Regent of the Oklahoma Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution; and Nancy Williams, volunteer at Centenarians of Oklahoma.
The 145th Army Band will be performing patriotic music as guests arrive and students from Oklahoma City University will be performing the "Oklahoma!," the state song, at the event. 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. No registration is needed.
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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.
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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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Lunch and Learn: “Register, Research, and Resources: The 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing” |
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The State Historic Preservation Office will hold a FREE Lunch and Learn webinar entitled “Register, Research, and Resources: The 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing” on Tuesday, April 15, at noon, focused on the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The building, located in downtown Oklahoma City, was bombed on April 19, 1995, at 9:02 a.m.
Laura Martin, Deputy Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society’s Research Center, will discuss items in their collection pertaining to the Murrah Building, the bombing, and collection items. Lynda Ozan, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer, will discuss the memorial’s designation on the National Register of Historic Places.
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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 Oklahoma Historical Society 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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Will Rogers Afternoon Frolic at Circle Cinema
April 5
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History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip
April 5
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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." This Liquid History event will take place concurrently with a sneak peek of A Body of Work: More Than Skin Deep, a special exhibition featuring art pieces from local Northwestern Oklahoma tattoo artists. The exhibit will be open for the event Friday only, and officially opens to the public on Tuesday, April 15.
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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OPENING APRIL 15!
A Body of Work: More Than Skin Deep
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The exhibit A Body of Work: More Than Skin Deep will be on display at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in the Mabee Foundation Gallery from April 15 to June 15. This exhibit will showcase various forms of artwork created by local tattoo artists who are passionate about expressing their creativity through a diverse range of tattooing styles and mediums. A Body of Work includes paintings, drawings, beadwork, and other artistic forms that highlight the art of tattooing. The exhibit will also explore the history of tattooing, including its recent legalization in Oklahoma. Featured artists will include Culture Tattoo in Enid and Red Sagas Tattoo Parlor in Woodward. Artwork displayed in the exhibition will be available for purchase. Call 580-237-1907 for more information.
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Spring Bake Day at Fort Gibson |
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The aroma of freshly baked bread will fill the Fort Gibson Historic Site once again. The site’s annual spring bake day is scheduled for Saturday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff members will operate the oven throughout the day, with fresh loaves of bread available around noon and at 3:30 p.m.
Twice each year, OHS staff act as historical reenactors and bake bread in Fort Gibson’s original wood-fired oven from 1863. Spring Bake Day is an educational event that allows the public to experience one aspect of army life that occurred during and after the Civil War.
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Mounted Rangers Living History program |
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On Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, visitors to Fort Gibson Historic Site can experience living history as reenactors portray Mounted Rangers at the historic military outpost. They will stay in the 19th-century palisade and offer demonstrations on various aspects of life as a Mounted Ranger during that period.
The Mounted Rangers Living History program will provide numerous educational opportunities to learn more about their service at Fort Gibson in 1832. Mounted Rangers carried weapons and equipment during their assignments, and this program will allow the public to discover how these items were made and maintained. Horses were essential for travel, and the living history program will include lessons on horse care, travel arrangements, military camping, and more.
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SECURE YOUR TICKETS TODAY!
“Ice Cream Social” Kilgen Theatre Organ Performance featuring Seamus Gethicker
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On Monday, April 28, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., a Kilgen Theatre Organ performance will be held in the Devon Great Hall at the Oklahoma History Center. Organist Seamus Gethicker will perform several classic springtime musical numbers to enhance the theme, “Ice Cream Social.” Ice cream will be served before the performance, so early arrival is recommended.
Tickets are $10 for Oklahoma Historical Society members and $20 for the general public. They can be purchased online or by calling 405-522-0765.
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OKPOP is filming interviews with Oklahoma creatives, both on location and within the OKPOP studio. The production team excels at ensuring that these interviews are presented in a clean and professional style that captures the unique OKPOP vibe. Gathering firsthand accounts is a meaningful way for the museum to preserve the cultural history of the state, which will be incorporated into OKPOP’s exhibits. By highlighting the legacies of Oklahomans who have come before, the museum aims to educate, inspire, and empower new generations of creatives. Follow OKPOP on Facebook!
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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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