Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame was established in 1982 by Oklahoma Governor George Nigh "to honor Oklahoma women who are pioneers in their field or in a project that benefits Oklahoma; who have made a significant contribution to the State of Oklahoma; who serve or have served as role models to other Oklahoma women; who may be "unsung heroes," but have made a difference in the lives of Oklahomans or Americans because of their actions; who have championed other women, women's issues, or served as public policy advocates for the issues important to women; and who exemplify the Oklahoma spirit."

The Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame is one of several events sponsored by the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women to support its mission, "To improve the quality of life for women, children and families in Oklahoma." Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were no inductees in 2020 and 2021.

Eligibility requirements Must be a woman who has either lived in the State of Oklahoma for a major portion of her life or who is easily identified as an Oklahoman; Must not be a current member of the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women;

And shall include: Women who are pioneers in their field or in a project that benefits Oklahoma. Women who have made a significant contribution to the State of Oklahoma. Women who serve or have served as role models to other Oklahoma women. Women who may be "unsung heroes" but have made a difference in the lives of Oklahomans or Americans because of their actions. Women who have championed other women, women's issues, or served as public policy advocates for the issues important to women. Women who exemplify the Oklahoma spirit.

Inductees Oklahoma Women's Hall of FameNameImageBirth–DeathYearArea of achievement2024 Executive director of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation2024 Member of the board of directors of the Duncan Regional Hospital2024 executive director of the Oklahoma Israel Exchange and former executive director of the Jewish Federation of Oklahoma City2024 Choctaw artist2024 Co-founder of the Stovall Center for Entrepreneurship2024 Nurse and Spanish translator (b. 1937)202320232023(b. 1945)20232023(b. 1950)2023Philanthropist, First Lady of the State of Oklahoma(1917–2001)2023†(b. 1956)2022(b. 1951)20222022(b. 1937)20222022(b. 1972)2022(1939–2019)2022†(b. 1931)2022 (1915–1997)2019†Journalist, historian, Women's Army Corps officer(b. 1952)2019Jurist(b. 1941)2019(1937–2024)2019Philanthropist2018OB/GYN founding partner of Lakeside Women's Hospital in Oklahoma City(b. 1946)2018Broadcaster, author, Miss Oklahoma, Miss America(1927–2022)2018Journalist(1939–2022)2018City and county office holder2018Principal Chief of the Sac and Fox Nation(b. 1950)2017Journalist2017Executive director of the Ronald McDonald House in Tulsa2017First woman to serve as President of the Oklahoma City School Board2017Volunteerism2017First Lady of the State of Oklahoma;Helped create the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women(1916– 2001)2017†Journalist(b. 1931)2015Comanche activist2015Newspaper publisher; The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools2015Oklahoma Community City College(1923–2019)2015Civil rights(1936–2013)2015Education2015Owner Oklahoma City 89ers2015Entrepreneur (1929–2016)2013Television personality, public relations2013Law enforcement(1937–2024)2013Businesswoman(b. 1954)2013Investigative journalist2013Television producer2013Political activist, businesswoman(b. 1949)2011Oklahoma state representative; first woman nominee for Governor of Oklahoma(b. 1951)2011Founded The Chloe House transition home for women(b. 1939)2011Executive Director of all Choctaw Nation Education Service2011Founded The Little Light House faith-based mission to assist children with a wide range of developmental disabilities including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy(1930–2022)2011Preservationist for the Quapaw language(b. 1950)2011First female president of Cameron University(b. 1955)2011Mayor of Tulsa(b. 1931)2011Co-creator of the Family Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence in Ardmore(b. 1947)2009United States Air National Guard two-star general(b. 1945)2009Founder of Friends of Eddie Warrior (FEW) Foundation(1919–2011)2009Entrepreneur2009First Lady of the State of Oklahoma(1871–1935)2009†First woman member of the Oklahoma Senate(b. 1952)2009First woman mayor of Tulsa(b. 1941)2009Filed 1970s sexual discrimination lawsuit Craig v. Boren(b. 1965)2007Head coach of the University of Oklahoma Sooners(b. 1946)2007Community activist(b. 1939)2007First woman president of Southwestern Oklahoma State University(1933–2021)2007One of the first African American women to serve in the Oklahoma State Senate2007Second female superintendent to lead an Oklahoma technology center(b. 1947)2007Entrepreneur, public policy strategist, women's equality advocate(1944–2003)2007†Political consultant(b. 1957)2007State representative, associate professor of political science at Rogers State University(b. 1946)2007First and only woman to date to serve as the chairperson and chief executive officer for the Otoe-Missouria Tribe(1927–2008)2005Philanthropist(b. 1939)2005District Court Judge for Oklahoma County(b. 1954)2005Governor of Oklahoma(1875–1972)2005†First woman elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives(b. 1938)2005Professor Emeritus in the Department of Management at Oklahoma State University(b. 1940)2005First female Chief Judge of the Tenth Circuit(b. 1950)2003State Long-Term Care Ombudsman in the Aging Services Division of the Department of Human Services(b. 1953)2003First woman U.S. Attorney in Oklahoma(b. 1953)2003Tulsa County District Judge (b. 1939)2003Philanthropist, chair emerita of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies(b. 1941)2003Aerospace engineer, head of the Mars Exploration Program in 1994(b. 1953)2001Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma(1927–2000)2001†First Lady of the State of Oklahoma(1926–2012)2001First African-American woman president of the League of Women Voters(b. 1943)2001First woman elected Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction(b. 1949)2001Police woman, developed the first Officers’ Street Survival course in Oklahoma(b. 1937)2001Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court 1997-1998(1924–2009)2001Advocate for disabled persons, trustee for the University of Tulsa(b. 1961)2001Native American artist(1929–2019)1997Oklahoma State University Board of Regents(1875–1963)1997First woman to graduate from a university in Oklahoma(1934–2025)1997Finance and Revenue Commissioner; Board of Regents for Rogers State College(b. 1929)1997Community activist(1914–2005)1997Philanthropist(1931–2010)1997Human rights activist(1921–2014)1997First African-American and first female to serve on the Ardmore City Council; first African-American female mayor of Ardmore; first chair of the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women(1937–2018)1997State legislator(1924–2011)1996Pioneer woman journalist(1924–1995)1996†Civil rights activist(1930–2015)1996Civil rights activist(b. 1947)1996Child Advocate of the Decade(1909–2006)1996Community activist(b. 1940)1996Attorney, judge, state legislator(1922–2021)1996Professor Emeritus at Cameron University; first African American to teach at Lawton High School, to teach at Cameron University, and to serve on the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges.(1922–2014)1995Civil rights activist(b. 1949)1995First woman to chair the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce(b. 1939)1995Delaware-Shawnee Native American artist and Director Emeritus and associate professor of art at Bacone College(1938–1999)1995First woman president of the Oklahoma Bar Association and the first woman elected to the Board of Governors of the Oklahoma Bar Association(1927–2003)1995Tonkawa News publisher(1939–2021)1995First African American woman to be elected as County Commissioner in Payne County, Oklahoma(b. 1933)1995First Lady of the State of Oklahoma(1920–2005)1993Founded the North American Indian Women's Association(b. 1956)1993Attorney and academic(1925–2012)1993Native American ballerina(1932–2018)1993Executive Director of Planned Parenthood(b. 1943)1993Biochemist, astronaut(1923–2011)1993Civic leader, civil rights activist(1912–2000)1993First African American nurse to earn a master's degree from the University of Oklahoma(b. 1941)1993Executive Director of the Tulsa City-County Library System(1920–1986)1986Activist for the arts in the Jewish community(1909–1994)1986Stage productions promoter(1912–2003)1986First African-American appointed to the State Regents for Higher Education(1927–1983)1986†Continuing Education and Public Service at the University of Oklahoma(1908–1995)1986Political activist and first woman to head an electric cooperative in Oklahoma(1945–2010)1986First woman elected chief of the Cherokees(1920–2001)1986First woman to serve on the Oklahoma State Election Board(1910–1992)1986Author, composer, choral director, producer, and music educator(1914–1997)1985The woman who wrote Heartbreak Hotel; songwriter, promoter, mother of Hoyt Axton(1915–1981)1985†First woman mayor in Oklahoma(b. 1949)1985News journalist, CNN White House correspondent(1931–2023)1985Visual arts preservationist(1898–1991)1985Basketball coach; She established the first girls' basketball clinic in the Southwest(1890–1988)1984Historian who focused on Native AmericansBerson (1994), pp. 87-94(1926–2006)1984Professor, diplomat, political activistNolan (1997), pp. 219-226(1903–1987)1984Feminist activist who was instrumental in amending the state constitution to allow women to hold elective office in Oklahoma(1909–1986)1984Head of the Home Economics Department at Langston University(1880–1956)1983†Organized the first music department at Oklahoma's Langston University and the school's first orchestra(1890–1982)1983†First woman president of the Oklahoma Education Association(b. 1949)1983African-American and Chickasaw operatic soprano (b. 1945)1983Cardiovascular surgeon and medical researcher(1919–1998)1983First African-American woman elected to any judgeship in the United States and the first to serve on the Supreme Court of any state(1917–1999)1983First woman to serve on the Oklahoma Supreme Court and its first woman as chief justice,(1923–2010)1982First African-American woman elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives (1968–1980)Haskins (1999), pp. 5-6(1875–1930)1982†First woman elected to statewide office by a male-only electorateMartin (1999), p. 2(1924–2010)1982Oil lobbyist(1916–2006)1982Author, historian(1886–1920)1982†Suffragist (1873–1965)1982†Founded the Kiowa Indian School of Art (1916–1985)1982Architect(1880–1975)1982†Newspaper columnist and radio disc jockey †Posthumously

Notes

References

External links Photo Archive of 2007 Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame induction ceremony National Women's Hall of Fame, Women of the Hall