OKLAHOMA CITY — Award-winning journalist Caleb Gayle will be honored with the E. E. Dale Award at the Oklahoma Historical Society’s annual awards banquet on Thursday, March 19, at 6 p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. The award honors an outstanding book exploring a topic in Oklahoma history. Gayle will be honored for his book, “Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State,” published by Riverhead Books in 2025.
A professor at Northeastern University, Gayle is a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine and lives near Boston. “Black Moses” charts the rise of Edward McCabe and his efforts to create a Black state in Oklahoma Territory during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Oklahoma Historical Society has recognized outstanding books exploring topics in Oklahoma history since 1992. The distinction was officially named the E. E. Dale Award in 2021. Dr. E. E. Dale joined the faculty at the University of Oklahoma in 1924 and wrote several books, including “The Range Cattle Industry” and “History of Oklahoma,” as well as works of poetry and two autobiographies. Dale served on the OHS Board of Directors from 1930 to 1972. He died in 1972, and in 1994, was inducted into the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame posthumously.
Gayle will receive a plaque of recognition at the Oklahoma Historical Society Awards Banquet. Tickets can be purchased online. Guests are asked to RSVP by Monday, March 9. Steven W. Taylor, former chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, will be the keynote speaker. OHS Board Member T. S. Akers will serve as emcee for the event. For more information or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Development Officer Brittney Berling at brittney.berling@history.ok.gov or State Historian Matthew Pearce at matthew.pearce@history.ok.gov.
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.