The Future of Our Past
The OKPOP Foundation has officially completed the $18 million Heart & Soul Campaign, and the State Treasurer has now approved and certified the pledges, releasing the state’s matching funds. This milestone marks the beginning of OKPOP’s next chapter: exhibit design, fabrication, and the build-out of Oklahoma’s first museum dedicated to the global creative impact of its people.
Hello Friends and Potential Donors,
“You know, this whole campaign wasn’t just about raising $18 million – it was about backing a mission that means something. OKPOP is here to celebrate the crazy amount of creativity that comes out of Oklahoma, to tell the stories of the folks who shaped music, film, and art, and to fire up the next generation to chase their own big dreams. The way people showed up to support this blows me away. Oklahoma should be proud of what’s coming.”
Honorary Campaign Chair
Help us wish a happy birthday to Tulsa-born poet, musician, author, and Muscogee Nation citizen Joy Harjo.
In 2019, Harjo became the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate, ultimately serving three terms from 2019 to 2022. Through works like She Had Some Horses, An American Sunrise, Crazy Brave, and her newest essay collection, Girl Warrior: On Coming of Age, Harjo continues to shape American literature with a voice rooted in memory, music, place, and Native experience. Her forthcoming twelfth poetry collection, Cloud Runner, is expected in Fall 2026. 
An internationally recognized artist and one of Oklahoma’s most significant literary voices, Harjo reminds us that poetry can be ceremony, witness, medicine, and song.
Happy birthday, Joy!
#joyharjo #poet #okpop #oklahoma @joyharjoforreal
So much fun connecting with Chris O’Dell, an Oklahoma-born trailblazer whose journey led from Owasso to the center of rock-and-roll history.
Chris shared stories from Apple Corps, The Beatles, the rooftop concert, the Concert for Bangladesh, and tours with George Harrison, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, and many more.
One favorite reflection:
“The thing I’m probably most proud about is being a female who really broke through the glass ceiling in the music industry in the late ’60s, early ’70s.”
And her advice for future creatives?
“Just say yes.”
Thank you, Chris, for sharing your story, your memories, and your Oklahoma roots with OKPOP.
#OKPOP #ChrisODell #Oklahoma #MusicHistory #WomenInMusic @piscesapplelady
We were grateful to connect with John Convertino for a life history video interview at OKPOP.
Best known as the drummer for Calexico, John shared a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about his musical journey, from his early childhood in a family gospel group to the development of his distinctive brush technique, the formation and evolution of Calexico, soundtrack work, theater projects, solo recordings, collaboration, and his deep reflections on Oklahoma roots.
Born in Mineola, New York, John moved to Oklahoma around age seven and grew up in a musical home where classical, Broadway, gospel, and family performance all shaped his earliest understanding of music. From early church performances and family cover-band gigs to the creative communities of Los Angeles and Tucson, his path became one of listening, adapting, and finding space within the music.
Throughout the interview, John reflected on collaboration as one of the essential forces in his work.
“The secret sauce of collaboration is that you are allowing yourself to be influenced and open,” he shared.
He also spoke beautifully about restraint, dynamics, and the importance of listening deeply:
“What’s in between the notes is just as important, maybe more important than the notes themselves… Give the music, mind, and heart space.”
John’s story is also deeply connected to place. Speaking about Oklahoma, he reflected:
“I think of Oklahoma and that word roots. I think of the earth… the music just, I mean JJ Cale in particular, just really is so earthy…”
These interviews are preserved through the Oklahoma Historical Society archive and help inform future OKPOP exhibit storytelling. We’re honored to help preserve John Convertino’s voice, creative journey, and Oklahoma connection for generations to come.
#OKPOP #OklahomaMusic #JohnConvertino #Calexico @gi_gi_1958 @casadecalexico
Happy Hanson Day! On May 6, 1997, Hanson released their breakout album Middle of Nowhere, launching one of Oklahoma’s biggest global pop stories.
Later, then-Governor Frank Keating officially declared May 6 as Hanson Day in Tulsa to commemorate the album’s release and celebrate three Tulsa brothers whose music reached audiences around the world.
Middle of Nowhere, featuring “MMMBop,” went on to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide.
From Tulsa to the world, Hanson helped show that Oklahoma creativity can go anywhere.
#OKPOP #Hanson #HansonDay #Tulsa #MiddleOfNowhere @hanson
May the Fourth be with you from OKPOP.
Today’s Selections from the Vault highlight the Archie Goodwin archive at OKPOP. Goodwin, who grew up in Tulsa, helped shape comics across Marvel, DC, Warren, and beyond, including major contributions to Star Wars comics and newspaper strips.
From galaxies far, far away to superheroes, horror, fantasy, and adventure, Goodwin’s work reminds us that Oklahoma storytellers have helped build some of pop culture’s biggest imagined worlds.
The Force is strong in the archive.
#MayTheFourth #StarWarsDay #ArchieGoodwin #OKPOP #ComicsHistory
Today we remember Clara Luper, born May 3, 1923.
A teacher, civil rights leader, author, broadcaster and Oklahoma icon, Luper helped change history through courage, strategy and the power of young people. In 1958, she led members of the Oklahoma City NAACP Youth Council in sit-ins that helped desegregate public spaces across Oklahoma.
Through The Clara Luper Show, which aired from 1960 to 1980, she used radio as a platform for civil rights, conversation and community. She was also an author, chronicling the movement she helped lead in her memoir Behold the Walls.
Clara Luper understood that stories can move people. Her voice, her words and her life’s work continue to remind us that courage and communication can help build a more just world.
#OKPOP #ClaraLuper #OklahomaHistory #CivilRights #OklahomaCulture @okhistory
We recently connected with Greyson Chance for a life history video interview about his creative journey, from growing up in Oklahoma to sudden viral fame at 12, the pressures of the music industry, and the long road toward finding his authentic voice as a songwriter and performer.
Greyson spoke candidly about perseverance, rebuilding confidence, staying grounded in his Oklahoma roots, and learning to embrace reinvention along the way.
“I hope when people look back at my journey as an artist, I hope they see perseverance.”
His advice for young artists was simple and powerful: “Trust your instinct.”
A reminder that every creative journey begins with believing the voice inside you is worth following.
#OKPOP #GreysonChance #OklahomaMusic #CreativeJourney @okhistory @greysonchance
It was an honor to connect with Tulsa hip hop legend Dangerous Rob for an OKPOP oral history interview.
Rob reflected on Tulsa’s early rap battle scene and the grassroots work it took to help build the city’s hip hop culture. He also shared how influences like The Gap Band and the G-funk sound helped shape his creative voice, how his music reached audiences far beyond Oklahoma, and why hard work and authenticity have remained central to his journey.
Stories like his help illuminate the depth, reach, and legacy of Oklahoma creativity, and the artists who helped pave the way.
#OKPOP #TulsaHipHop #DangerousRob #OklahomaMusic #OralHistory @dangerousrob918
Donate
Your charitable donation directly contributes to OKPOP’s future, we are grateful for your support! Donations to support the OKPOP Museum may be made to the OKPOP Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
Donations may be made through the secure online donation form or mailed to:
OKPOP Foundation
422 North Main Street
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103
If you have questions about additional gifting options, please contact Abby Kurin at akurin@okpopfoundation.org
*Required fields.
Note: Fees for online processing are a necessary part of online giving and vary based on donation amount and type of card used. The fees charged by the credit card processor will be subtracted from the donation amount.