Oklahoma City – In a press release sent to CapitolBeatOK.com, the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus invited all Oklahomans to come join in celebrating Oklahoma’s first Black History Day at the State Capitol on this Monday, February 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the second-floor rotunda.

“This inaugural celebration is special to me because Black History is Oklahoma History. This is the first time a day has been dedicated to learning and celebrating the contributions of African Americans to the economy, culture, and growth of our great state,” Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Jason Lowe, D-Oklahoma City said.

Rep. Lowe said everyone should come to the capitol to experience the history of African Americans in the state.

The keynote speaker will be Lt. General Stacey Hawkins, Commander for the Air Force Sustainment Center, Airforce Material Command at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City, Oklahoma.

https://www.tinker.af.mil/About-Tinker/Leadership/Display/Article/3134982/stacey-t-hawkins/

Both of Lt. Gen. Hawkins’s parents were educators and for 20 years his father was mayor of the town where Hawkins grew up.

“I have translated the service that my parents demonstrated when I observed them as a kid to my own service to the country,” he said. “Patriotism and the love of country are what I’ve devoted the prime of my adult life to, and I’m very proud to have done so,” the Lt. Gen. added in an interview from October 2022.

Hawkins assumed command of the Sustainment Center at Tinker in August of 2022. Commissioned from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1991, he has served in key leadership positions over the past three decades.

“We will entertain with marching bands from Millwood High School and Star Spencer High School. We will see a stomp performance from the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity — one of the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternities in the United States and we will also hear spoken word performances by local artists and students,” said Rep. Lowe.

While they will most certainly put on a show, more importantly, Oklahomans have a chance to engage with the history from people who have experienced it including Civil Rights Activist Marilyn Luper Hildreth, daughter of the late Oklahoma Civil Rights Leader Clara Luper.

Members of the Black Legislative Caucus include: Representative Jason Lowe, Esq. – Chairman, D-TulsaRep. Monroe Nichols – Vice Chairman/Treasurer, D-TulsaSenator George E. Young, Sr., D-Oklahoma CitySen. Kevin Matthews, D-TulsaRep. Regina Goodwin, D-TulsaRep. Ajay Pittman, D-Oklahoma CityRep. Maureen Turner, D-Oklahoma City

Note: Pat McGuigan, publisher and founder of CapitolBeatOK.com, contributed to this report.