Tag: history

Philatelics, the study of postage stamps and history, may not illicit the flashy appeal that some hobbies do, but it’s still a mentally rewarding activity with an avid following in Oklahoma.  The state has a rich history when it comes to stamps. For starters, the Oklahoma Philatelic Society has roots going all the way back to 1933, when horses graced...

In Tulsa, 108 Contemporary presents A Luthier’s Tale: The Craft of Stringed Instruments July 2-Sept. 19. The show melds the works of local and regional artists, showcasing the art, craft and design of a variety of stringed instruments.  In OKC, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum ushers in ¡Viva México! July 9-Oct. 17 and Framework: Exploring the Artistic Process...

Executive director Trait Thompson gets goosebumps when he looks at the rare copy of a Lewis and Clark speech owned by the Oklahoma Historical Society. Jeff Briley, deputy director of the Oklahoma History Center, says he was “just beside myself” the first time he gazed upon a 1,400-year-old buffalo hide overshoe found in a cave in northwest Oklahoma. And some of...

Perhaps the ugliest, largest and most shameful blot on Oklahoma’s history is the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. And until recently, it was an event largely swept under the rug, or – at best – wildly downplayed, essentially rewritten to fit a racist agenda. The event was halted from rising to the forefront of discussions about our state’s history. In the last Few Years, things have changed. Conversations have shifted. Finally, a horrible event is being presented factually. The truth has been brought to the light. Motivations have morphed into education, into reconciliation, into healing. In this retrospective, we take a look at Oklahoma’s burgeoning all-Black communities prior to the massacre; the event and its aftermath; the evolving education surrounding the Massacre; the Flourishing Greenwood District as it stands today; and the Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission and its hopes for a better, more united Tulsa.

Oklahoma’s bookbinding community is maintaining history and creating masterpieces. For repairs and bibles, a local family-owned business in Fort Gibson is a hot-spot. Artur Bookbinding International was opened in 1992 by Zbigniew Niebieszczanski, or as the locals call him, “Dr. Bible.” Artur Niebieszczanski, his son, eventually became co-owner and carries on the family legacy. “I came along in 2015 to work full...

Take yourself back to the last decade of the 19th century, in what would become the state of Oklahoma – which was then divided roughly in half into Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory. The area was still reeling from the consequences of the Civil War and the forced placement of Native tribes.  Outlaws and desperados took advantage of this reality...

Much has changed in our world in the last 125 years – and higher education has not been immune. When the University of Tulsa was founded as Henry Kendall College just before the turn of the 20th century, the school looked entirely  different than it does today, except for one element: dedication to students. TU’s origins extend to the Presbyterian...

In one sense, Vinita embodies enchantment and make-believe, especially with get-away destinations nearby at Grand Lake. However, the Craig County seat is also a common-sense, down-home place. Vinita embraces both – illustrated by a Depression-era cafe with an international following and two Renaissance festivals that take visitors back to 1540s Scotland. Grant “Sweet Tator” Clanton opened the first Clanton’s Cafe in...

In 1921 in the Osage Nation town of Gray Horse, 30-something Mollie Burkhart harbors suspicions about the death of her sister Minnie and the disappearance of her sister Anna. So begins journalist David Grann’s real-life mystery, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, which spent more than 49 weeks on the New York...

A sure way to prevent the demolition of a historic building is to buy the property yourself or with others. However, if that’s not an option, preservationist groups and grassroots organizations could use your help as they work to save spaces where Oklahoma history was made. “Grassroots efforts work because they show local support and local identity with those buildings,” says...