New exhibit explores former enslavement by Cherokee citizens
A new exhibit at the Cherokee National History Museum examines the history of formerly enslaved Black people by some citizens of the Cherokee Nation. Their fight for citizenship is highlighted starting this week.
The exhibit, called We Are Cherokee: Cherokee Freedmen and the Right to Citizenship, is part of the tribal nation's reckoning with what Chief Hoskin Jr has called "a stain on the Cherokee Nation.”
Earlier this year, the tribal nation called for stories as part of their Cherokee Freedmen Art and History Project Initiative. This new exhibit at the National History museum is part of that effort.
In 2020, Cherokee Nation removed a confederate monument in front of their historic courthouse in Tahlequah as a sign that it was trying to come to terms with its past and it's participation in slavery.
In 2017, descendants of Cherokee Freedmen won their citizenship after a decades long court battle. There are now nearly 12,000 Cherokee Freedmen descendants enrolled within the Cherokee Nation.
AP releases Top 25 College Football Poll
The AP’s top 25 College Football Poll, released Monday, ranks the Oklahoma Sooners number 9 on the list.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are at number 12.
Number one on the poll is Alabama. The AP poll, which started in 1936, is a weekly ranking of the top teams in college football that's voted on by 63 sports writers and broadcasters from across the country.
The Sooners start off their season against UTEP on Sept. 3. The Cowboys kick off their season against Central Michigan on Sept. 1.
Stitt appoints new Secretary of Energy and Environment
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has appointed a new Secretary of Energy and Environment with a long history in the oil and gas industry.
Following the announcement last week of current Energy and Environment Secretary Ken Wagner’s resignation, Governor Stitt announced Wagner will be replaced with Ken McQueen, a former National Energy Policy Advisor and Regional Administrator at the US Environmental Protection Agency.
McQueen’s resume also includes serving as the New Mexico Secretary of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources, during which time the state became the third largest crude oil producer in the country.
He also worked for the Williams Company for 10 years, as well as other oil production companies.
Wagner will continue serving as secretary until September 3. In his resignation letter, he wrote he felt a sense of accomplishment in knowing that Oklahoma’s environment is “constantly improving, and that the energy innovation and production that happens in Oklahoma is making the world cleaner, more affordable and more secure.”
Experts recommend backpack safety tips for children’s health
As school starts back up, medical experts have some tips for preventing injuries at school. One common accessory poses a risk that might often be overlooked.
SSM Health, which runs Saint Anthony and several other hospitals in Oklahoma, issued some guidance for keeping kids safe from backpack-related pain.
Bags that are too heavy – or that are carried wrong – can lead to back and neck pain, as well as posture issues.
The guidance recommends limiting weight to less than 15 percent of the child’s body weight. It says that bags should be no wider than their torso, and it shouldn’t hang more than a few inches below their waist.
it might not look cool, but kids should always use both shoulder straps, and even chest or waist straps if the bag has them.
OKCPS bond slated for November 8th ballot
The largest bond in the history of Oklahoma City Public Schools will be on the November 8th ballot.
The Oklahoman newspaper reports the district board Monday unanimously called for the bond election. Now, the nearly 1-billion dollar bond package rests with district residents.
The two propositions would build five new schools, a regional stadium, classroom expansions and renovations along with new school buses and vehicles.
The bond package, which would increase property taxes for district residents, would require 60-percent approval from voters to pass.
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