|
|
FREE PUBLIC EVENT!
Oklahoma History Center 20th Anniversary Open House and Exhibit
|
|
|
On Saturday, November 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Oklahoma History Center will open its doors to celebrate its 20th anniversary. This milestone event is free and open to all. Whether you are a longtime supporter or a first-time visitor, November 15 is the perfect day to discover what makes the Oklahoma History Center a place worth celebrating!
Since 2005, the Oklahoma History Center has connected visitors to the stories of our state. Now, it’s marking its 20th anniversary with a free public celebration.
This one-day event offers something for every history enthusiast or anyone curious about the people and stories that shaped Oklahoma. Guests can explore hands-on artifact carts, join guided tours led by staff and volunteers, and enjoy live historical interpreters throughout the museum galleries. Special programming will take place throughout the day. The event will also feature the opening of the new exhibit Collect. Preserve. Share. 20 Years at the Oklahoma History Center in the Sam Noble Gallery:
As an affiliate of both the Smithsonian and National Archives and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Oklahoma History Center invites the public to experience history in meaningful, engaging, and accessible ways.
|
|
Statehood Day Panel: “Statehood From the Ground Up”
On Saturday, November 15, at 1 p.m., the Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library will host a panel lecture discussing Oklahoma Statehood and its impacts on diverse populations. Entry to the event is included with museum admission.
Dr. Sunu Kodumthara, professor of history at Southwestern Oklahoma State University will moderate the panel. Guest panelists include Travis Chambers, lecturer of American history, Tuesdae Pelt-Willis, professor of history at Rose State College, and Kati Cain (Chickasaw), research specialist and genealogist for the Chickasaw Nation Department of Culture and Humanities.
|
|
Oklahomans unite to complete OKPOP!
For years, the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture (OKPOP) has existed as a dream, a big idea championed by visionaries who believed Oklahoma’s cultural heritage deserved a stage of its own. There were moments when it felt uncertain, when the path forward seemed out of reach. But through perseverance, partnership and the belief that Oklahoma’s stories matter, the dream has endured.
Now, the finish line is in sight.
When it opens, OKPOP won’t just be a museum; it will be a living, breathing celebration of Oklahoma’s creativity. Visitors will walk into galleries alive with sound and color, see artifacts from artists who changed the face of popular culture, and discover the stories of Oklahomans whose impact resonates far beyond state lines.
|
|
Call for Proposals
The Oklahoma Historical Society(OHS) is seeking proposals for “Milestones in Oklahoma History”: The Oklahoma History Symposium. This one-day event will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026, 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 related to the state of Oklahoma. It provides a venue for scholars, students, educators, public history professionals, and the general public from across the state and region to share their work and interests with others.
|
|
“Tiny Boxes and Vast Legacies: Mapping the African American Homesteading Story in Oklahoma Territory” with Dr. Kalenda Eaton
|
|
On Friday, November 14, at 6 p.m., the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center is pleased to host a talk with Dr. Kalenda Eaton of the University of Oklahoma. Eaton will present “Tiny Boxes and Vast Legacies: Mapping the African American Homesteading Story in Oklahoma Territory.”
Using a new data map produced from the Oklahoma Black Homesteader Project, this presentation will explore the communities of African American homesteaders in Oklahoma territory during the late-19th and early 20th centuries. Specific examples from Garfield County will be highlighted.
The talk will be held at the Village Church in the Humphrey Heritage Village. The cost of attending the presentation will be the regular price of admission.
|
|
|
Countdown to Christmas events
Join the staff at Hunter's Home as they begin the countdown to the site's annual December open house. Starting on Tuesday, November 18, in the weeks leading up to the Hunter’s Home Christmas Open House on December 14, the site will be exploring different aspects of the Christmas season through fun make and take activities. On specific days from November 18 through December 10, the Countdown to Christmas events will explore Christmas decorations, the tastes of Christmas past, and common Christmas gifts given in the 1850s.
|
|
“Advanced Weaponry and the Santa Fe Trail in the 1830s” living history program
Fort Gibson Historic Site’s living history programs in November will focus on the Santa Fe Trail in the 1830s. On Saturday, November 15, historical interpreter Seth Goff will focus on advanced civilian and military firearms in the 1830s and their use along the Santa Fe Trail. Josiah Gregg, who is the inspiration for these November events, recorded his adventures in his book Commerce on the Prairies (1849), in which he cited many instances of using firearms for hunting and personal defense.
|
|
Kilgen Theatre Organ Performance featuring Chris Elliot and the silent film Phantom of the Opera (1925)
On Monday, November 17, 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 featuring organist Chris Elliot accompanying Rupert Julian’s silent film Phantom of the Opera (1925).
Tickets are $10 for Oklahoma Historical Society members and $20 for the general public and are available by calling 405-522-0765.
|
|
|
This year marks the 85th anniversary of Woody Guthrie’s song, “This Land Is Your Land,” later recognized by the Recording Industry Association of America as the third most important song of the twentieth century. He wrote the song in February 1940 while
living in a small, run-down hotel in New York City after hitchhiking across the country. The song became widely known in 1945 after being recorded the year before.
In 2010, John Erling recorded an interview for Voices of Oklahoma with Guthrie’s daughter, Nora. In a portion of that interview she discusses the background that led up to the writing of “This Land Is Your Land”—it has been re-released to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the ballad. Listen to the re-release of the interview.
Aumuller, Al, photographer. Woody Guthrie, half-length portrait, World Telegram photo by Al Aumuller, 1943.
|
|
|
Follow the OHS website calendar to learn about our events and programs at OHS museums and historic sites across the state! Our calendar constantly changes with the latest programs and activities, from seasonal events to celebrations, exhibits, films, educational classes, and workshops.
|
|
|
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!
|
|
|
Masthead image:
On November 27, 1868, Lt. Col. George A. Custer led the U.S. Army’s 7th Cavalry on an early morning attack along the Washita River near present-day Cheyenne, Oklahoma. During the Battle of the Washita, troops attacked a village of Cheyenne people who were living with Peace Chief Black Kettle. When the attack commenced at dawn, people in the village were still asleep. They awoke to the sound of gunfire—then they had to flee or fight for their lives. They fought to protect their families, their horses, and their property.
Masthead image: Cheyenne Chief Homer Heap of Birds (who witnessed the attack as a young boy) and Chief Little Hand visiting the site, c. 1929 (19589.126.32, Alvin Rucker Collection, OHS).
|
|
|
|
|
