Oklahoma Hall of Fame
The Oklahoma Memorial Association was founded in 1927 by Anna B. Korn with the purpose of establishing the "Oklahoma Hall of Fame." .[1] Being inducted into the "Oklahoma Hall of Fame" is the highest honor one can receive from the state. In the 1970s, the Hefner Mansion was donated to the association to house the exhibits and busts or portraits of the inductees, and the organization changed its name to the Oklahoma Heritage Association in 1971. It then moved into the former Mid-Continent Life Insurance Building in Oklahoma City in 2007.
To be eligible for induction, an individual must satisfy the following criteria:[1]
- Reside in Oklahoma or be a former resident of the state.
- Have performed outstanding service to humanity, the State of Oklahoma and the United States.
- Be known for their public service throughout the state.
In 2000, the rules were changed to allow for posthumous nominations.
Inductees
Busts or paintings of the inductees can be seen at the Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Among the 662 members are:[2]
- Jack Abernathy, United States Marshall
- Carl Albert, member of U. S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma (1947 - 1977); Speaker of the House (1971-1977)
- William French Anderson, scientist
- Bill Anoatubby, Chickasaw governor
- C.R. Anthony, businessman
- Hannah Atkins, Oklahoma State Representative
- Gene Autry, singer and actor inducted as an entrepreneur
- Dewey F. Bartlett, Governor of Oklahoma (1967-1971)
- Page Belcher, politician
- Henry Bellmon, politician
- Johnny Bench, baseball player
- Clayton Bennett, businessman
- Henry G. Bennett, educator
- George S. Benson, missionary
- James E. Berry, politician
- William Bizzell, educator
- G. T. Blankenship, Oklahoma State Representative
- David L. Boren, Oklahoma Governor
- Lyle Boren, politician
- David Ross Boyd, educator
- Bill Bright, evangelist
- Anita Bryant, Miss Oklahoma
- James S. Buchanan, educator
- Kristin Chenoweth, actor, singer
- Admiral Joseph Clark. World War II admiral
- Woodrow Wilson (Woody) Crumbo. native American artist
- Angie Debo, author
- Gary England, meteorologist
- John Hope Franklin, historian
- General Tommy Franks, Iraq War general
- James Garner, actor
- Rev. Gregory Gerrer, OSB, artist, museum founder
- Vince Gill, singer
- Thomas Gore, first U.S. senator from Oklahoma (1907-1921)
- Woody Guthrie, singer, songwriter and musician
- Harold Hamm, CEO of the oil company Continental Resources
- Paul Harvey, radio commentator
- Van Heflin, actor
- Henry Iba, basketball coach
- Patience Latting, first woman to serve as Mayor of Oklahoma City and any U.S. city with more than 350,000 people; inducted in 1980.[3]
- Richard Lloyd Jones. publisher and editor of the Tulsa Tribune
- Tom Love, owner, founder, and chairman of Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores[4]
- Charles W. Kerr, minister
- Eugene Lorton, owner and publisher of the Tulsa World
- Mickey Mantle, baseball player
- Reba McEntire, singer
- Jens Rud Nielsen, physicist
- Robert L. Owen, U. S. Senator from Oklahoma
- Patti Page, singer
- T. Boone Pickens, oilman and entrepreneur
- Frank Phillips, oilman and philanthropist
- Waite Phillips, businessman and philanthropist
- Wiley Post, aviator
- Will Rogers, humorist
- Warren Spahn, baseball player
- Barry Switzer, college football coach
- Maria Tallchief, ballerina
- Marjorie Tallchief, ballerina
- Elmer Thomas, U. S. Congressman and Senator from Oklahoma
- Jim Thorpe, athlete
- Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts
- Alfre Woodard, actor
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Oklahoma Hall of Fame". Oklahoma Heritage Association. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
- ↑ "Oklahoma Hall of Fame By Name". Oklahoma Heritage Association. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
- ↑ Dean, Bryan (2012-12-28). "Former Oklahoma City Mayor Patience Latting dies at age 94". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 2013-01-11.
- ↑ "Tom Love". SMEI Academy of Achievement. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
Coordinates: 35°29′00″N 97°31′34″W / 35.48333°N 97.52611°W