Press Release
July 24, 2017
Contact: Elizabeth Bass
Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-4860
ebass@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/publications
UNT, TSHA, and OHS Release More Than 100 Free E-Books on Texas and Oklahoma History
OKLAHOMA CITY — The University of North Texas (UNT), in collaboration with the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) and the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS), has released more than 100 free e-books thanks to a $95,599 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities under the Humanities Open Book Program.
The e-books, relating to the history of Texas and Oklahoma, are available through the UNT Portal to Texas History and through the Gateway to Oklahoma History. They were created from scans of out-of-print books contributed by the UNT Libraries, UNT Press, TSHA and OHS. They will give a new generation of scholars, teachers, students and communities access to knowledge no longer in wide circulation.
Among these titles are:
- The Oklahoma Series – This series, published by the Oklahoma Historical Society in the 1970s and 1980s, includes books on topics such as American Indian tribes, military forts, farming and ranching, railroads and the oil patch.
- “Life and Adventures of Sam Bass, The Notorious Union Pacific and Texas Train Robber” – Published in 1878, the book provides a "graphic account" of the life and capture of the infamous thief.
- “The Karankawa Indians, The Coast People of Texas” – With more than 22,000 uses, the book is one of the most popular on the Portal to Texas History.
- “History of Negro Soldiers in the Spanish-American War,” and other items of interest – Published just before the turn of the 20th century with themes of civil rights and prejudice, this book provides details on the causes of the Spanish-American War, African Americans in the Navy and the acclaimed Buffalo Soldiers.
- “Indian Papers of Texas and the Southwest, 1825–1916” – This five-volume set, drawn from original copies in the Texas State Archives, provides invaluable source material on American Indian affairs in Texas and surrounding states.
Many of the books are in the public domain, meaning copyright protection has expired on them. The rest have been released under various Creative Commons licenses, allowing them to be freely redistributed and, in some cases, modified by others as long as the creator of the work is acknowledged.
About the National Endowment for the Humanities
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at www.neh.gov.
Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this press release and these e-books do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
About the Oklahoma Historical Society<
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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