Oklahoma — the state with the longest stretch of Route 66 — finds itself in the spotlight like never before. Coming off last year’s victorious NBA championship season, we are poised to welcome new global attention as we look toward the LA28 Olympics.

As we enter February, we reach yet another powerful milestone. Black History Month traces its roots back to historian Carter G. Woodson, who launched Black History Week in 1926. Each year, Woodson’s organization, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), sets a national theme. ASALH’s 2026 theme, 100 Years of Commemoration, calls us to reflect, protect, and carry that legacy forward.