Press Release
March 28, 2023
Contact: Nicole Harvey
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-5202
nicole.harvey@history.ok.gov
www.okhistory.org/grants
Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society, Inc. Awarded Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is proud to announce that the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society, Inc. has been awarded a grant through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program.
Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society, Inc. received $4,924 for a project titled “Helping People, Help the Land: Traveling Photographs of Oklahoma Conservation History,” which will identify 20-25 of the most important historic photographs in the organization’s collection. The pictures will be assembled as a traveling exhibit available to local and regional museums, conservation districts, events and even at the Oklahoma State Capitol for Conservation Day. The photographic images and accompanying narrative information will depict the range of conservation history from the 1920s to the present day, the geographic diversity of the state and the different aspects of conservation work.
“We are excited about receiving this grant and having the opportunity to develop a traveling photo exhibit,” said Ben Pollard, president of the Oklahoma Conservation Society Board of Directors. “The exhibit will feature photos of the Dust Bowl era and early-day soil conservation work in Oklahoma. The exhibit will be a reminder to Oklahomans of the environmental disaster of the Dust Bowl and the tremendous work it took to transform the land back to a productive state.”
The OHS will distribute over $575,000 in grant funds, with projects ranging from collections care and strategic planning to exhibit development and educational programming.
“These grant funds continue to empower local communities to collect, preserve and share their history for future generations of Oklahomans with over 150 projects funded to date,” said Nicole Harvey, director of strategic initiatives and grants administrator for the OHS.
The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program is a grants-in-aid program offered by the Oklahoma Historical Society to encourage 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 okhistory.org.
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