Oklahoma Oral History Research Program

10/02/2026

Earlier this week, Dr. Linford Fisher, an assistant professor of history at Brown University, lectured on his new book, “Stealing America: The Hidden Story of Indigenous Slavery in U.S. History." Fisher's newest work focuses on uncovering the history of Indigenous enslavement in America.

Fisher discussed with students after the lecture and shared volunteer opportunities for his project, “Stolen Relations: Recovering Stories of Indigenous Enslavement in the Americas."

For more information, visit the OSU News article here: https://news.okstate.edu/articles/library/2026/osu-libraries-to-host-author-event-showcasing-indigenous-history,-perspectives

09/30/2026

Last week, Sarah Milligan and Tanya Finchum visited McCurtain County to record the living memories of the original community in Hochatown before it was forced to move with the development of Broken Bow Lake.

Over three days, Milligan and Finchum interviewed 10 people about life in Hochatown during the early to mid 20th century, including the introduction of electricity and the impact that growing tourism has had on the community.

These interviews were conducted at the Hochatown First Assembly of God Church. The team documented the experiences of these people from the changing landscapes as they adapted to becoming a tourist town.

Image from the McCurtain Gazette, Sept 15, 2026, Volume 120, Number 96

09/29/2026

Go see the "Lighting Pathways: Matriarchs of Oklahoma Native Art" exhibition open at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum - Get a preview by listening to the full interview with artist Sharron Ahtone Harjo on your way there: https://dc.library.okstate.edu/digital/collection/ona/id/172/

09/17/2026

Virtual oral history 101 walk through tomorrow!

Thinking about developing an oral history project and need some help getting started? Check out our virtual walk through of oral history 101 Friday, Sept 18th from 12:30 - 2pm CT.

Have questions? send them to: [email protected]

09/09/2026

Thinking about developing an oral history project and need some help getting started? Check out our virtual walk through of oral history 101 Friday, Sept 18th from 12:30 - 2pm CT.

Have questions? send them to: [email protected]

09/02/2026

In case you missed it, Sarah Milligan, the Hyle Family Endowed Professor and Head of the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program, joined Kallie Kosc, Associate Professor of History, on "Good History," a podcast dedicated to conversations about why we study what we study.

In Milligan's episode, the conversation branches into what can be learned from the study of folklore, the transformative nature of storytelling, what is lost when certain stories are suppressed, best practices in oral history, and the new opportunities and challenges posed by AI technologies on the future of story collection and storytelling.

Listen to Milligan's episode and more here:

What is the purpose of storytelling? Join Kallie Kosc as she sits down with Sarah Milligan, the Hyle Family Endowed Professor and Head of the Oklahoma Oral History …

08/31/2026

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at OSU will host Dr. Autumn Brown's course, "From Sit-Ins to Statehood: Clara Luper and the Fight for Civil Rights in Oklahoma City." The course will center on the life and activism of Clara Luper, a pivotal leader in Oklahoma City's Civil Rights Movement.

Students will examine Luper's work alongside a broader historical framework that contextualizes Oklahoma's path to statehood, including the displacement of Indigenous nations and the systemic oppression of Black communities prior to the Civil Rights era.

By tracing the evolution of segregation, racial violence and resistance in Oklahoma, the course will highlight how local activism intersected with national movements for justice.

The course will be every Tuesday, Sept. 22 through Oct. 13 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. The course will be taught in Oklahoma City.

An OLLI active membership is required for enrollment. To learn more about OLLI and Dr. Brown's course, visit the OLLI homepage at: https://education.okstate.edu/outreach/osher-lifelong-learning-institute

08/21/2026

When oral historian Dr. Autumn Brown reflects on her work, her time in Northeast Oklahoma City and North Tulsa immediately comes to mind. This region, rich in Black arts and heritage, illustrates how these communities thrive and create impactful history.

Brown hopes her work re-contextualizes Oklahoma as a profound activist space, combatting the misconception that the state does not have a rich Black history.

To learn more about Dr.Brown's reflections, visit the History of BLAC, Inc. Oral History Collection at: https://library.okstate.edu/collections/collections-a-z/history-of-blac-inc

Visit the Oklahoma Activism in Education during the Civil Rights Movement Oral History Collection: https://library-dep.okstate.edu/search-and-find/collections/digital-collections/activism/

Also, visit Dr.Brown’s Art as Activism project, showcasing North Tulsa’s artists: https://library.okstate.edu/collections/library-podcasts/amplified-oklahoma/episode-98-art-as-activism-in-north-tulsa-1

Photo courtesy of Visit Tulsa

06/23/2026

The historically All-Black town of Clearview, Oklahoma celebrated Juneteenth with the launch of the new driving tour and website, with OOHRP's assistant department head and archivist Patrick Daglaris in attendance.

In collaboration with community leaders Dr. Donnie Nero and Shirley Nero, Clearview Mayor Marilyn Jackson, and the project team including Carey Flack, Project Manager and Web Developer, and Larry O’Dell, Daglaris conducted interviews with residents and oversaw the digitization of photographs and legacy audiovisual recordings. He later assisted with writing narratives for the 70 businesses represented on the tour.

Visitors of Clearview can stop at each sign and scan a QR code that will take them to a history of that lot or business. The project tells over 120 years of Clearview history fully accessible in-person or online.

The project was funded through the Civil Rights Trail Grant of the Oklahoma Historical Society. Interviews are archived at the OSU Library and will be made available soon. For more information, visit the new mapping project webpage here: www.visitclearviewok.com

06/22/2026

The Latino Oklahoma Oral History Project documents the histories, experiences and cultural contributions of Hispanic and Latinx communities across Oklahoma. This collection brings together several complementary oral history initiatives conducted by Oklahoma State University faculty and students, each highlighting different aspects of Latinx life. View the collection here: https://okla.st/4e25x5v

Initiatives include history professor Dr. Sarah Foss' research on Oklahoma Latinx communities, assistant professor Dr. Carol Ready's "Spanish in Rural Oklahoma" project and student thesis research examining the Mexican American community in late 20th century Oklahoma. To learn more about the collaboration, visit: https://okla.st/4e3WFfD

Thank you for visiting the OSU Library. We have a new website! The former OSU Library website will be available until the end of the Fall 2026 semester. If you need assistance, please contact [email protected].