Oklahoma Historical Society
Encyclopedia
The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is an agency
Government agency
A government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...

 of the government of Oklahoma
Government of Oklahoma
The government of the US State of Oklahoma, established by the Oklahoma Constitution, is a republican democracy modeled after the Federal government of the United States. The state government has three branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial...

 dedicated to promotion and preservation of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...

's history and its people by collecting, interpreting, and disseminating knowledge and artifacts of Oklahoma.

The Society is governed by a 25-member Board of Directors. Thirteen of those members are elected by the members of the Society and twelve are appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma
Governor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...

, with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate
Oklahoma Senate
The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of Senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution....

. All member serve three year terms. The Governor also serves as an ex officio member of the Board. The Board is responsible for appointing an Executive Director of the Society, who serves concurrently as the State Historic Preservation Officer. The current Executive Director is Dr. Bob L. Blackburn, Ph.D..

History and Functions

OHS was formed in May 1893, 14 years before Oklahoma became a state, by the Oklahoma Territorial Press Association. The initial function of OHS was to collect and distribute newspapers published in Oklahoma Territory
Oklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...

. The Society was declared an agency of the territorial government in 1895, and it became an official state government agency when Oklahoma reached statehood
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 in 1907. OHS is both a private, membership organization and an Oklahoma government agency. The OHS Board of Directors is made up of 25 members, 12 of whom are appointed by the governor and 13 elected by OHS members to three-year terms.

OHS today works statewide and nationally to preserve and nurture Oklahoma's history. The Society operates the Oklahoma History Center
Oklahoma History Center
The Oklahoma History Center is the history museum of the State of Oklahoma. Located across the street from the Governor's mansion at 2401 N. Laird Avenue in Oklahoma City, the museum opened in 2005 and is operated by the Oklahoma Historical Society...

, the state's museum located in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...

. The History Center occupies 215,000 ft² (19,974m²) and contains more than 2,000 artifacts and dozens of hands-on audio, video, and computer topics and activities. The History Center also houses the OHS Research Division, a large research library and facility of genealogical material, historical documents, and publications. Many of the OHC's documents and materials are available online at little or no charge, , including indexes to the Dawes Rolls, Oklahoma military deaths, the 1890 Oklahoma Territorial Census, Oklahoma County marriage records 1889-1951, Daily Oklahoman obituaries, and Smith’s First Directory of Oklahoma Territory. The online archives catalog also contains some of the photographs in the OHS Research Division Collection.

The Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office, also operated by the Society, carries out federal preservation programs in Oklahoma under the National Historic Preservation Act, to preserve Oklahoma's significant buildings, parks, objects, and sites. Projects are carried out in partnership with the Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...

 and the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...

, as well as other state and local governments, groups, and interested people.

OHS has published The Chronicles of Oklahoma
The Chronicles of Oklahoma
The Chronicles of Oklahoma is the scholarly journal published by the Oklahoma Historical Society. It is a quarterly publication and was first published in 1921....

, the Society's scholarly journal, since 1921 and continues to issue four editions per year. The Society's monthly newsletter, Mistletoe Leaves, includes information about OHS activities and historical happenings throughout Oklahoma. Both publications and other historical works are available by subscription or per issue. OHS has also published The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma Culture and History. The Chronicles of Oklahoma through 1962 and The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma Culture and History are available online through the Oklahoma State University Library Electronic Publishing Center.

The Society is a Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...

 and National Archives and Records Administration affiliate. A gift shop is available online or at the History Center, and annual membership can be purchased for individuals, families, and institutions.

In May 2009 the Society announced plans to build a second museum, to be called Oklahoma Pop and located in Tulsa's Brady District. It is planned as the state museum of popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...

, including music, television, film and the performing arts.

Leadership

The Oklahoma Historical Society is under the supervision of the Secretary of Commerce and Tourism
Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism
The Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor...

. Under Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry
Brad Henry
Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002...

, Natalie Shirley
Natalie Shirley
Natalie Shirley is an American lawyer and businesswomen from Oklahoma. Shirley previously served as the Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism under Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry, having been in that position from 2007 to 2011. She was Governor Henry's second Secretary of Commerce and...

is serving as the Secretary.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of OHS is composed of twenty-five members. Thirteen of those members are elected by the members of the Society and twelve are appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma, with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate. All member serve three year terms and are appointed or elected by congressional district to help ensure statewide representation. The Governor serves as an ex officio member of the Board.

As of 2009, the Board of Director is composed of the following:
  • Jack D. Baker – Oklahoma City
  • Rex M. Ball – Tulsa
  • Mary Brett, Tulsa
  • Roger Bromert, Weatherford1
  • William Corbett, Tahlequah1
  • Betty K. Crow, Altus
  • Thalia Eddleman, Oklahoma City1
  • Deena Fisher, Woodward
  • Billie S. Fogarty, Oklahoma City
  • Denzil D. Garrison, Bartlesville1
  • Jack D. Haley, Roosevelt
  • Robert Klemme, Enid
  • Marvin E. Kroeker, Ada1
  • Daniel W. Lawrence, Norman1
  • Leonard Logan, Vinita1
  • Guy W. Logsdon, Tulsa
  • John M. Mabrey, Bixby1
  • Samonia Meredith, Oklahoma City
  • Shirley Ann Nero, Warner1
  • Ken Rainbolt, Durant1
  • Emmy Scott Stidham, Checotah
  • Lewis Stiles, Broken Bow
  • Barbara Thompson, Oklahoma City
  • Jan Vassar, Chandler1
  • James R. Waldo, Oklahoma City1


1 indicates members appointed by the Governor

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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