OKLAHOMA CITY — The 2026 Oklahoma History Symposium will be held on Saturday, May 2, at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. This is a one-day event encompassing a range of historical topics pertaining to Oklahoma. It provides a venue for scholars, students, educators, public history professionals, and the interested public from across the state and region to share their work and interests with others. The 2026 symposium will center on the theme “Milestones in History.”
Topics for the symposium include resettling Vietnamese refugees in western Oklahoma, the 14th Amendment, underground newspapers at Central State College, and pharmacists in Oklahoma Territory. A complete schedule, session descriptions, and registration details are available online at okhistory.org/symposium.
Our keynote speaker is the Honorable Glenn English, retired CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and former ten-term U.S. representative from Oklahoma’s Sixth Congressional District.
In addition to historical sessions and a keynote speech, there will be a book signing and exhibitors. Dr. Donald Fixico, who was inducted into the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame in 2026, will be signing copies of his book “Chitto Harjo: Native Patriotism and the Medicine Way,” which received an honorable mention for the E. E. Dale Awards for Outstanding Book on Oklahoma History from the OHS. He has a new book being released in April 2026 titled “The Lighthorse Police.” The family of Rachel Caroline Eaton will attend to sign “A History of the Cherokee Nation,” taken from Eaton’s journals and edited by her family. It is a recounting of stories passed down from first contact to land allotment and Oklahoma statehood, with a firsthand account of the post-Civil War period until she died in 1938. Randy Krehbiel will sign copies of his book, “Tulsa, 2021: A Massacre’s Centennial and a Nation’s Reckoning.” A limited number of copies of each book will be available for purchase at the event.
The Oklahoma History Symposium is free and open to the public, but attendees must register online in advance. Registered participants are encouraged to attend any or all sessions and meetings as they wish. Three food trucks will be selling food and beverages on-site for attendees, but guests can also bring their own lunch to the event.
This program is funded in part by Preservan and Oklahoma Electric Cooperative.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed during the program do not necessarily represent those of the Oklahoma Historical Society.
The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications, the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit okhistory.org.
