| Oklahoma Cultural Hall of Fame |
| Celebrating the heroes of Oklahoma's cultural heritage -- people and characters who embody the values, attitudes, and spirit of Oklahoma's living Culture of Peace. |
| "I salute the flag of the State of Oklahoma. Its symbols of peace unite all people." |
| Our Oklahoma Heritage of Peace UNESCO, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, is sponsoring a worldwide campaign to promote a global “Culture of Peace.” In UNESCO’s parlance, “culture” is a broad concept. It includes tangible and intangible elements – including significant places, sites, songs, stories, history, performing arts, rituals, events, etc. The folks at UNESCO remind us that cultural heritage provides people with a sense of identity and continuity. Furthermore, cultural heritage “is constantly being recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature, and their historical conditions of existence.” Since culture is constantly being created and transformed, it makes sense to promote and lift up those aspects of our culture that are appropriate for the global, interdependent world that we live in. That’s what the “Culture of Peace” campaign is about. As defined by the United Nations, the Culture of Peace is: “A set of values, attitudes, modes of behavior and ways of life that reject violence and prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation among individuals, groups and nations.” As part of its Culture of Peace campaign, UNESCO has designed a project called, “Peace in Our Hands Through Local Heritage.” The project encourages local communities to use local cultural heritage as a tool for promoting the Culture of Peace. (For more about Oklahoma's Culture of Peace, please click here). This webpage is designed to celebrate Oklahoma heroes who embody the values, attitudes, and spirit of our peoples' living Culture of Peace. The men and women on this page illustrate how Oklahomans have overcome conflicts, obstacles, and divisions through non-violence and peaceful change. NOTE: All links on this page open in a new window. Cultural Heroes. Stories from Oklahoma’s history are important in showing how we have overcome many conflicts and divisions through non-violence and peaceful change. Our state has suffered through some horrific events – the Trail of Tears, the Battle of Washita, the Tulsa Race Riot, the Oklahoma City Bombing – and yet we are a people who have learned how to live in peace with one another. Throughout our history, we have enjoyed the presence of many heroes of peace (some who are famous and others who are not well-known). Here are a few that I know of: Woody Guthrie the prolific songwriter who is best known for his famous, “This Land is Your Land.” Woody once wrote-- “I took a bath this morning in six war speeches, and a sprinkle of peace. Looks like ever body is declaring war against the forces of force.… The fuse is lit and the cannon is set, and somebody is in for a frailin. I would like to see every single soldier on every single side, just take off your helmet, unbuckle your kit, lay down your rifle, and set down at the side of some shady lane, and say, nope, I aint a gonna kill nobody. Plenty of rich folks wants to fight. Give them the guns.” Tom Joad the fictional hero of John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath.” Ralph Ellison the noted author of “The Invisible Man,” who won the National Book Award, the Langston Hughes Award, and the Medal of Freedom. Dr. John L. Peters who founded World Neighbors. Fern Holland the Peace Corps volunteer and human rights activist who was killed in Iraq in 2004; Larry & Frances Jones the co-founders of one of America’s best-known charity relief organizations; and < > Others. By the way, Professor Kurt Hochenauer, who teaches in Edmond, has produced a wonderful set of essays on some of these Peace Heroes. He describes it as “a series of blogs reconsidering the progressive and heroic Oklahoma mythology created collectively by musician Woody Guthrie, comedian and writer Will Rogers, and novelist John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.“ He calls his series, “Okie Rebels With A Cause,” and you can read it here-- Okie Rebels With A Cause I know I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, and my educational background isn’t in anthropology or history or any of that good stuff – so, if you feel like you’ve got some better ideas about promoting “Peace Through Local Heritage,” please feel free to add your thoughts on our OK-Global Message Board. Thanks! Bill Bryant Self-Appointed Interim Curator Oklahoma Cultural Hall of Fame |
| This website is maintained by Bill Bryant, dba Small World Business Services ... Page updated Sept. 18, 2006. |
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Dr. Charles William Kerr
a Scottish pastor and missionary who founded
the First Presbyterian Church in Tulsa and who
is remembered for his attempts to stop the
lynching of a black teenager during the Tulsa
Race Riot.
a Scottish pastor and missionary who founded
the First Presbyterian Church in Tulsa and who
is remembered for his attempts to stop the
lynching of a black teenager during the Tulsa
Race Riot.
Black Kettle
the Peace Chief of the Cheyennes who
demonstrated his commitment to peaceful
co-existence and international law (but whose life
ended tragically at the Battle of Washita).
the Peace Chief of the Cheyennes who
demonstrated his commitment to peaceful
co-existence and international law (but whose life
ended tragically at the Battle of Washita).
Will Rogers
the cowboy philosopher who poked fun at the “foreign adventurism” that
America was drawn into during the early twentieth century (in Panama,
Nicaragua, and elsewhere). For example, he said--
“You know, we haven't got any business in those faraway wars.
Seven thousand miles is a long way to go to shoot somebody, especially if
you are not right sure they need shooting, and you are not sure whether
you are shooting the right side or not.”
the cowboy philosopher who poked fun at the “foreign adventurism” that
America was drawn into during the early twentieth century (in Panama,
Nicaragua, and elsewhere). For example, he said--
“You know, we haven't got any business in those faraway wars.
Seven thousand miles is a long way to go to shoot somebody, especially if
you are not right sure they need shooting, and you are not sure whether
you are shooting the right side or not.”
Kate Barnard
the first woman elected to a statewide office,
and a great champion of human rights --
including rights of the child and rights of the
worker.
(Link opens as a "pdf" file)
the first woman elected to a statewide office,
and a great champion of human rights --
including rights of the child and rights of the
worker.
(Link opens as a "pdf" file)
Hannah Diggs Atkins
whose contributions to peace and public life
have included service as an Oklahoma state
representative, cabinet member, Secretary of State,
and delegate to the United Nations.
whose contributions to peace and public life
have included service as an Oklahoma state
representative, cabinet member, Secretary of State,
and delegate to the United Nations.
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