Oklahoma Day 2024 (US): Discover its Intriguing History and Facts

Oklahoma Day 2024 (US): Oklahoma Day is observed on April 22 each year as a state holiday in the United States. It serves as a commemoration of the moment in 1889 when European settlement was permitted in the Oklahoma region. Oklahoma 89ers Day, observed on April 22, is primarily commemorated in Guthrie, the location of the original land office situated approximately 80 miles from the starting line.

The inaugural participants, referred to as the “89ers,” executed the land rush in 1915; annually, Guthrie hosts an 89ers celebration to commemorate the occasion. Some regions of Oklahoma observe the occasion with parades and other celebrations.

Oklahoma Day: History

People have inhabited Oklahoma since the conclusion of the last ice age. People established permanent settlements, including the Spiro-mounds, around 850 A.D. In the 16th century, European explorers first visited the region. The United States annexed the territory through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

Notwithstanding the Osage and Quapaw peoples’ prior occupation of the region, the enactment of the ‘Indian Removal Act of 1830’ and the ‘Indian Intercourse Act of 1834’ resulted in the forcible displacement of thousands of Native Americans from their ancestral lands and their subsequent relocation to Oklahoma. The nine-state Trail of Tears National Historic Trail recounts the forcible removal of the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles from their homelands.

Midway through the 19th century, it was difficult for ranchers in Texas and Kansas to supply the major metropolitan areas with sustenance. The Dawes Act, enacted in 1887, removed Native American control over a significant portion of Oklahoma’s territory to make more land available for cultivation. This territory allowed European immigrants to settle as of April 22, 1889. In 1889, Land Run allowed access to many Oklahoma counties for colonization. Settlers could not claim quarter-acre parcels until noon, normally. We observe Oklahoma Day to mark the anniversary of this particular date. Constitutional authority granted statehood on November 16, 1907.

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Oklahoma Day: FAQs

What is the Oklahoma state motto?

“Work triumphs over all” is the Latin phrase labor omnia vincit or labor omnia vincit improbus.

Which president presided over the Trail of Tears?

During that period, Andrew Jackson served as President of the United States.

What is the origin of the appellation Oklahoma?

The Choctaw Indian language is the source of the word “Oklahoma,” which translates to “red people.”

Five Interesting Oklahoma Facts

Alabaster Caverns, located in Freedom, is the largest alabaster deposit in the world.
Except for Oklahoma, which contains 200 artificial lakes, no other state has as many.
By area, Oklahoma ranks twenty-first among the states in the United States, encompassing a total of 69,903 square miles.
Mount Cavanal, the world’s highest hill at 1,999 feet, is located west of Poteau in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma’s County borders Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, making it the first US county to do so.