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Vol. 37, No. 6 Published monthly by the Oklahoma Historical Society, serving since 1893 June 2006 OHS Annual Meeting banquet Allan Houser’s Unconquered unveiled at honors 2005 award winners Oklahoma History Center At the annual banquet, held this year on April 28, the OHS Board of Directors gave In a ceremony at the Oklahoma History special awards to three notable Oklaho- Center on April 26, 2006, at 1:30 p.m., mans who have contributed to the suc- Unconquered, a monumental bronze sculp- cessful creation of the Oklahoma History ture by Oklahoma artist Allan Houser, was Center: Lee Allan Smith, unveiled. The ten-foot-tall, 3000-pound work Hollis G. Lloyd, and J. is situated outside the new building’s main Blake Wade. The Muriel entrance, in the central plaza. Wright Award for the “This world-class sculpture was the last piece produced by Allan Houser before his death in 1994,” said Dr. Bob Blackburn, director of the Oklahoma Historical Soci- ety. “We are privileged to have it at the en- trance to the Oklahoma History Center.” The piece was purchased by means of a $750,000 grant from the Inasmuch Foun- dation, created by Edith Kinney Gaylord to improve the quality of life in Oklahoma. “We were pleased to help the Oklahoma History Center acquire the Unconquered,” best article in the year’s said Bob Ross, president of the Inasmuch issues of The Chronicles Foundation. “This is one of the greatest bronze. Allan Houser departed this life on of Oklahoma was cap- pieces of art produced by one of the world’s tured by Dr. Richard August 22, 1994. greatest artists, our own Allan Houser.” Also speaking at the unveiling ceremony Lowitt of OU. The J. B. When the Smithsonian’s National Mu- Thoburn Student Historian Award was be- was Cliff Hudson, who, with his wife Leslie, seum of the American Indian opened last donated the funds for the base and inter- stowed on Mary Hestilow, of the Classen fall, he was one of the two artists featured School of Oklahoma City. The Indian Gal- pretive features for the sculpture. “For the in a special exhibit. Another of his monu- past seven years, we have been searching lery Advisory Board was named this year’s mental sculptures, As Long as the Waters Outstanding OHS Support Group, and the for a way to acquire this world-class sculp- Flow, stands on the south plaza of the ture for Oklahoma,” said Hudson. “Through Chisholm Trail Heritage Center, Bill Benson, Oklahoma State Capitol. Director, was tapped as Outstanding Local the generosity of the Inasmuch Foundation, The Houser family, including Allan’s wife, we accomplished our mission.” Historical Museum. Ann, and sons Phillip and Steven, attended The 2005 Outstanding Dissertation on Dan Provo, museum director aft the the unveiling ceremony. Phillip, an artist in Un- Oklahoma History was awarded to Rose Oklahoma History Center, added that his own right, played his father’s flute as a conquered provides another way to share Stremlau for “Cherokee Families: Cultural memorial to the spirit of the family and the Resistance During the Allotment Era,” and Oklahoma’s unique history with the rest of tribe. Ann talked about her late husband’s the world. “Allan’s story, and that of his fa- the year’s Outstanding Thesis award went intent when he created Unconquered. to Rhonda Ragsdale for “A Study of the ther, mother, and extended family, opens a The work reflects the history of Houser’s window into our past that is both enlight- Self-Segregated Community of Tatums.” own family in the Southwest and Oklahoma. The award for writing 2005’s Outstanding ening and inspirational,” he said. “It is a The artist’s great-uncle was Geronimo, and perfect complement to the museum galler- Book on Oklahoma History went to Patri- his father, Sam Haozous, was also prisoner cia Loughlin for Hidden Treasures of the ies, where hundreds of stories blend into a of war at Fort Sill. sense of community.” American West: Muriel H. Wright, Angie Allan Houser, or Haozous, left the fam- Debo, and Alice Marriott. Inducted into the ily’s farm at age twenty to study with Doro- Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame were thy Dunn at Santa Fe Indian School. By Alice Tyner Timmons, Robert F. Read, the 1940s he was working in clay and Denzil D. Garrison, and Joe C. Jackson). stone. By the 1970s he was recognized around the world for his art works, which ranged from representational to abstract. In the final year of his life he refined and completed his vision for the work Uncon- quered. He created it first in clay for a twenty-one-inch-tall bronze edition. He de- picted two armed Chiricahua warriors fac- ing their enemies, defending their families and their traditional way of life. In the final months of his own life, he enlarged the Joe C. Jackson and Dr. Bob Blackburn form to 119 inches in height and 80 inches After unveiling the sculpture, the Houser (All photos by Fred Marvel). in width for the casting of the monumental family blessed it (staff photo). the roll of fabric or the amount of memory New Annual Members available on the computer. Prints can be Bowman, Sigrid A., Edmond made on flat, matte, or high-gloss paper, DeMoss, Robert W., Cleveland on canvas, or on vinyl. Goforth, Richard, Welling Using this printer, OHS graphic artists Johansson, Dr. M. Jane, Pryor Director’s Bill Siemens and Cynthia Manning have Loughlin, Patti, Stillwater been producing incredible images that Parker, Pat, Duncan Column range from oversized banners to be used Rodke, Vera Pauline, Paoli for the Pawnee Bill Wild West Show this Sadler, Martha A., Green Valley, AZ summer to reproductions of maps from the Smalley, Jeri, Norman OHS collections. Tyson, Dr. Barbara J., Hodgen Amazingly, when the four-color maps are held up next to the originals, it is hard New Family Members By Bob L. Blackburn to tell the difference. Brown, Dudley & Sara, Tahlequah Executive Director Thus far, we have made approximately Davis, Charles & Jane, Edmond 20 prints from the collections, including Heer, Dolores & Christina, Oklahoma City images of steam-powered trains from the Hernandez, Dianne, Edmond Preston George Collection, images of down- As any Oklahoma farmer or gardener Powers, Linda & Donald E., Jr., Oklahoma City town Oklahoma City in the 1960s from the Wilson, Harry & Doris, Oklahoma City will tell us, to harvest a crop, first you plant Jim Argo Collection, and maps of the pro- a seed, nurture it with care, and watch it posed State of Sequoyah, the Indian Terri- New Institutional Members grow. tory, and the early statehood era with all Here, at the Oklahoma Historical Soci- major railroad lines. Harvard College Library, Cambridge, MA ety, we have long wanted to harvest a crop Some of the images are already framed Minnie Slief Library, Cheyenne of photographic sales. We have more than and hanging in the LeRoy H. Fischer Board Weatherford Library, Weatherford 5 million images in the collections. We Room. All are available for purchase in the Picher Mining Field Museum, Picher want to share those images with people. Oklahoma History Center Gift Shop. And we need a stream of revenue to rein- In addition to creating items for sale, the OHC to host Oklahoma Folklife vest in conserving and processing the col- printer will be used to produce exhibit dis- Festival on June 24 lections, most of which are negatives. plays with better quality control and at a For too many years, our hopes for a reduced price. This, in turn, will allow us to The revived Oklahoma Folklife Festival, bountiful harvest of sales were based on a be much more aggressive in developing dormant for a decade or more, will be held hunting-and-gathering approach, hoping new exhibits across the state. in Oklahoma City at the Oklahoma History that customers would find us and walk in Yes, as any Oklahoma farmer or gar- Center on June 24. the door. For too many years, we knew that dener will tell us, we need to plant seeds The festival will include music, dance, and was not enough. before we reap the harvest. Thanks to the foodways from several Oklahoma cultures. We needed to plant seeds for a better grant from Chesapeake Energy Corpora- There will be demonstrations of traditional harvest. tion and the creativity of our staff, we will crafts and various hands-on activities. Thanks to Chesapeake Energy Corpora- soon harvest a bountiful crop of Oklahoma In addition, papers on Oklahoma folklife tion, we have planted a seed that is already history. and popular culture will be presented at showing great promise. That seed was a the event. $25,000 grant to purchase an Epson 9800 A day’s family-oriented activities will be- Digital Printer capable of producing either gin mid-morning and continue through the black-and-white or four-color images in a afternoon. variety of sizes on a variety of surfaces. There is no admission charge to attend. The printer will produce art-quality im- The OHC is located at 2401 North Laird ages up to 44 inches wide and as long as Avenue in the Capitol Complex. Oklahoma Historical Society Publications Division Editorial Office: 405/522-4860 Development News Dianna Everett, Ph.D., Editor Linda D. Wilson, Assistant Editor By Dr. Tim Zwink William E. Siemens, Graphic Artist Membership Office: Alma Moore 405/522-5242 <[email protected]> Mistletoe Leaves (USPS 018–315) is published monthly by the Oklahoma Historical Society, 2401 N. Laird Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73105–7914.

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