Oklahoma Cemeteries and the stories they tell

Cemeteries are not just final resting places; they are complex landscapes deeply entwined with our social fabric. Far from mere plots of land, cemeteries serve as a cornerstone of community identity and local attachment. These revered spaces are like miniature biographies of a community, capturing the essence of its history and the diverse lives that shaped it. Cemeteries function as powerful memory spaces. They indicate social status, express ideologies, signify cultural preferences and even highlight historical events.
This session is presented by Dr. Shelley Martin-Young, teaching assistant professor at Oklahoma State University, as part of “Perspectives in History”: The Oklahoma History Symposium, May 4, 2024.

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Pusley’s Station has a cemetery at the same location that looks like some of it was bulldozed. It is on the list of National Historical sites but I was really disappointed in the condition of the site. The Pusley family was very prominent in the Choctaw Nation in the years right after they came to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears in 1832.