About 500 Oklahoma Indians marched on the state Capitol on Friday to protest the celebration of the state's 100th birthday. Chanting "No peace, no justice" and carrying signs that read "Celebrate 100 Years of Theft?" and "The Land Run was Illegal Immigration," the marchers said the centennial celebration ignored the Indian side of history. Indian lands that were promised by treaty were open to non-Indian settlement. “The state needs to hear some of our views — the broken treaties, the lies, the deceit by the people who created this state,” Les Williston, a member of the Choctaw Nation, told the Associated Press. Oklahoma became the 46th state on November 16, 1907. Get the Story:
About 500 Indians mark centennial with protest march at state Capitol (AP 11/19)
Protest gives Indian view of history (The Tulsa World 11/17)
‘We want to remember ... where we came from' (The Oklahoman 11/16)
pwpwd Relevant Links:
Oklahoma Centennial - http://www.oklahomacentennial.com Related Stories:
Indian museum marks Oklahoma centennial (11/16)
Oklahoma Indians protest state's 100th birthday (11/12)
Oklahoma Indians to protest on Statehood Day (11/7)
Opinion: Don't celebrate Oklahoma Centennial (11/5)
Native artist creates poster for Oklahoma Centennial (3/23)
Oklahoma tribes not thrilled about centennial (11/13)
