Celebrating 53 Years of Excellence in Journalism

Located at the University of Central Oklahoma, the hall of fame honors the men and women who’ve made outstanding contributions to journalism in Oklahoma, the United States and worldwide.

488

HALL OF FAME MEMBERS

09

LIFETIME AWARDS

134

YEARS OF JOURNALISM

54

Years of Honorees

Will Rogers

INDUCTED: 1971 – Will Rogers (1879-1935) was the most widely read and influential newspaper columnist of his day. For the last nine years of his life his daily column “Will Rogers Says” was published in a record 500 newspapers. The humorous comments in the column helped ease the burden of readers during the worst part of the depression years.

Ralph Ellison

INDUCTED: 1982 – Ralph “Waldo” Ellison (1914-1994) began writing seriously in 1939 and is the author of short stories and essays in various journals and magazines. His 1952 novel, Invisible Man, won the National Book Award in 1953. In 1965, a poll of authors, critics and editors judged that novel “the most distinguished single work” published in the last 20 years.

Pam Henry

INDUCTED: 2004 – Pam Henry (1950-2018) was a broadcast pioneer, earning a BA at OU in 1973. Before graduation she was hired by KTOK in Oklahoma City as their first female reporter and first woman anchor. She joined WKY-TV in the same role and also worked as producer, public affairs program host and capital reporter. After working in politics in Washington, she returned to produce KWTV news before becoming noon anchor at KOCO-TV.

Paul Harvey

INDUCTED: 1973 – Paul Harvey (1918-2009) of Tulsa was a leading conservative political commentator and columnist for many decades. He broadcasted for more than 462 radio stations and 126 television stations daily, and his column appeared in 300 newspapers, reaching more people than any other journalist in the nation.

Edith Gaylord Harper

INDUCTED: 1989 – Edith Gaylord Harper (1916-2001) worked for the Oklahoman and Times before joining the Associated Press as a reporter in New York City. She later transferred to the AP’s Washington Bureau, where one assignment was the White House and the activities of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt.

51 Years of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame

Our Greatest Journalists

Arthur B. Ramsey: Oklahoma's pioneer newsreel cameraman

A native of Oklahoma City, was a pioneer Oklahoma newsreel cameraman. Beginning in 1928, he set up the most ambitious 35 mm motion picture business in Oklahoma City, and filmed the news events of The Depression for Pathe, Paramount and...

Ida B. Blackburn: A pioneer in television

From 1958 to 1975, Ida B. Blackburn hosted more than 3,000 shows on live television at KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City. Following that remarkable run on the air, Ida B became the first female sales executive at a television station in the state...

Native Tulsan’s legendary career was sparked by a caring, inspiring teacher

Paul Harvey was coming to Tulsa, his hometown, to be the keynote speaker at the annual Salvation Army dinner, one of Tulsa’s biggest fundraising events each year, on March 15, 1994.

‘The Hanoi Hilton’ and a tragic day in Linda Cavanaugh's hometown

From the air, it was a beautiful sight. Our plane had begun the descent to land in Vietnam, and I marveled at the number of small blue lakes that dotted the countryside.

How to Submit a Nomination

Selection Process

Honorees are selected by a committee comprised of hall of fame members, including its director, and distinguished leaders in journalism. The Selection Committee considers all nominations, both new ones and those held over from previous years, before selecting the honorees.

The 2024 Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame nominee submission deadline is Tuesday, October 31, 2023.

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Hall of Fame

Upcoming Events

Monday

Dec

12

2022 Holiday Event

Second Annual Hall of Fame Members’ Holiday Dinner

Monday, December 12, Bedlam BAR-B-Q • Event located at 610 NE 50th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73105 • RSVP by 5 p.m. on December 9 • Send an email to Executive Committee members Jennifer Gilliland at jgilliland@okpress.com or Lindel Hutson at lh0722@gmail.com • The Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters and Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame are sponsoring the dinner. + Google Map

2022 Holiday Event

Second Annual Hall of Fame Members’ Holiday Dinner

Monday, December 12, Bedlam BAR-B-Q • Event located at 610 NE 50th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73105 • RSVP by 5 p.m. on December 9 • Send an email to Executive Committee members Jennifer Gilliland at jgilliland@okpress.com or Lindel Hutson at lh0722@gmail.com • The Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters and Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame are sponsoring the dinner. + Google Map

Thursday

May

04

2023 Induction Ceremony

Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame 53th Anniversary Gala

Thursday, May 4, University of Central Oklahoma • Luncheon and induction ceremony at 11:30 a.m • Business attire • Event location at the Nigh University Center grand ballroom, Third Floor, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034. + Google Map

Buy Tickets

Thursday

May

04

2023 Induction Ceremony

Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame 53th Anniversary Gala

Thursday, May 4, University of Central Oklahoma • Luncheon and induction ceremony at 11:30 a.m • Business attire • Event location at the Nigh University Center grand ballroom, Third Floor, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034. + Google Map

Buy Tickets

2023 Induction Ceremony

Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame 53th Anniversary Gala

Thursday, May 4, University of Central Oklahoma • Luncheon and induction ceremony at 11:30 a.m • Business attire • Event location at the Nigh University Center grand ballroom, Third Floor, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034. + Google Map

Buy Tickets