Press Release
March 17, 2022
Contact: Nicole Harvey
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-5202
nharvey@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/grants
Peoria Tribe Of Indians of Oklahoma Awarded Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is proud to announce that the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma has been awarded a grant through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program.
“The awarding of this grant to the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma is wonderful news as they work to bring back the lost aspects of their culture and artifacts,” said Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, Adair. “The work they are doing to increase the number of displays is critical in sharing their history and reaching more tribal citizens.”
“Enabling tribal nations—in this case, the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma—to explore more of their history and tell their rich stories is an important use of this grant funding,” said Rep. Steve Bashore, Miami. “I'm grateful the Oklahoma Historical Society recognizes the significance of helping tribes preserve their culture and heritage.”
The Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma has been awarded $11,000 for a project titled “Collection Preservation Project,” which will bring the lost aspects of the culture and artifacts of the tribes that make up the Peoria confederation back to its citizens. Grant funding will add new cases to increase the number of displays, which will in turn increase their ability to reach more tribal citizens in the tribe's Culture Center. The tribe will use the grant funds to purchase additional top-quality archival exhibit cases, humidity control cartridges and a humidity data logger.
“The Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma is proud to announce the recent award of the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant that will allow the Peoria Tribe to purchase additional museum-quality display cases to safely rotate its priceless collections of cultural archaeological objects while maintaining the utmost preservation and care,” said Brandy Rogers, planner/grant writer. “Additional cases will allow the tribe to display more sensitive items that are currently housed in the Illinois State Museum. This will enrich the lives of tribal citizens and help educate our community members about our Native culture.”
The total amount of funds that will be distributed this year is just over $558,000, with projects ranging from collections care and strategic planning to exhibit development and educational programming. “Entering our third year of the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program, the OHS is thrilled with the program’s success,” said Nicole Harvey, director of strategic initiatives and grants administrator for the OHS. “To date, the program has funded over 120 projects that are aiding with collecting, preserving and sharing Oklahoma history for local communities across the state.”
The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program is a grants-in-aid program offered by the Oklahoma Historical Society with a goal of encouraging the collection, preservation and sharing of Oklahoma history at the grassroots level in all parts of the state. Open to tribal and municipal governments and not-for-profit historical organizations located in Oklahoma and registered with the Oklahoma secretary of state, this grants program offers funding ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 for projects focused on collections, exhibits and programming. Applications for this annual program open in the fall and award announcements are made in January. For more information visit www.okhistory.org/grants.
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.
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