Press Release
March 4, 2025
Contact: Jessica Brogdon
Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-0780
jessica.brogdon@history.ok.gov
www.okhistory.org/awardsbanquet
First Native American Woman in Oklahoma to Receive Ph.D. to be Inducted Into Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame
OKLAHOMA CITY — Rachel Caroline Eaton, who is believed to be the first Native American woman from Oklahoma to receive a Ph.D., will be inducted posthumously into the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City on Thursday, March 20, at 6 p.m. Instituted in 1993, the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame is the highest honor awarded by the Oklahoma Historical Society. This honor recognizes distinguished and long-term contributions to Oklahoma history through demonstrated excellence.
Eaton was born in 1869 in Indian Territory and became a notable Cherokee educator and historian. She graduated from seminary school in 1888 before earning her bachelor of arts degree from Drury College in Springfield, Missouri, in 1895. She briefly taught at the Cherokee Female Seminary. Eaton organized the Rogers County Sequoyah Historical Society in 1908. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a master’s and doctorate in history in 1911 and 1919, respectively.
Eaton spent most of her adult life as an educator and historian. She researched and published several articles on local and Cherokee history. In 1914, she published her book, “John Ross and the Cherokee Indians.” She also wrote for newspapers and journals, including the OHS’ scholarly journal, “The Chronicles of Oklahoma.” Eaton passed away from breast cancer in 1938. She is buried in Claremore’s Woodlawn Cemetery.
Eaton will be inducted into the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame during the Oklahoma Historical Society Awards Banquet on Thursday, March 20, along with Carolyn G. Hanneman and Dr. Sarah Eppler Janda. Inductees receive the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame medal, and their biography is published in “The Chronicles of Oklahoma.” Tickets can be purchased online. The event will be held at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. Guests are asked to RSVP by Monday, March 10. Dr. AJ Griffin will be the keynote speaker. Griffin spent six years in the Oklahoma State Senate and is now the CEO of the Potts Family Foundation. Joe Dorman, a former state representative and current CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, will serve as emcee for this event.
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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