OKLAHOMA CITY — The 2025 Oklahoma History Symposium will be held on Saturday, May 3, at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. Presented by the Oklahoma Historical Society, the symposium 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 2025 symposium will center on the theme “Oklahoma in Context.”
Topics for the symposium include preserving the legacy of African American history in Stillwater, the 150th anniversary of the “Sand Hill Fight” on the Cheyenne and Arapaho Reservation and Oklahoma Native American baseball players in Major League Baseball. A complete schedule, session descriptions and registration details are available online at okhistory.org/symposium.
Award-winning filmmaker Loren Waters (Cherokee/Kiowa) will be our keynote speaker. Waters will discuss her short documentary “Meet Me at the Creek,” which focuses on Rebecca Jim’s (Cherokee) efforts to restore Tar Creek in Miami, Oklahoma. Waters’ experience in the film industry includes directing, producing, and casting for film and television, including “Reservation Dogs,” “Fancy Dance” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.
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. Boxed lunches can be pre-ordered at registration, and attendees can bring their own lunch to the event.
This program is funded in part by Oklahoma Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the program do not necessarily represent those of OH, NEH or OHS.
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 www.okhistory.org.
