The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) will induct four individuals into the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame at its annual Awards Banquet, scheduled for March 19 at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. The honorees are Donald L. Fixico, David W. Levy (posthumous), Linda D. Wilson, and Timothy A. Zwink.
Established in 1993, the Hall of Fame is considered the highest recognition by OHS for significant contributions to preserving and interpreting Oklahoma history.
Donald L. Fixico is a Regents’ and Distinguished Professor of History at Arizona State University and has authored more than twenty books on American West and American Indian history. He was born in Shawnee, graduated from Muskogee Central High School, and later earned his degrees from the University of Oklahoma. Fixico has received several awards for his scholarship and teaching, including the National Museum of the American Indian Award in History and Education in 2010.
David W. Levy joined the University of Oklahoma after earning his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in 1967, retiring as Irene and Julian Rothbaum Professor of Modern American History in 2006. He published two volumes on OU’s history and researched civil rights issues within higher education in Oklahoma. His book “Breaking Down Barriers: George McLaurin and the Struggle to End Segregated Education” won an award from OHS in 2020. Dr. Levy passed away on August 9, 2025.
Linda D. Wilson has contributed articles on Oklahoma history for three decades, including over 250 entries for “The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.” She worked at various federal agencies before earning her master’s degree in history from UCO while working with OHS as an associate editor.
Timothy A. Zwink received his Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University in 1980 before joining Northwestern Oklahoma State University as faculty where he developed public programs about Camp Alva during World War II. Later joining OHS staff, he helped secure funding for construction projects such as the completion of the Oklahoma History Center before retiring as deputy executive director.
Each inductee will receive a medal and have their biography published in “The Chronicles of Oklahoma.”
Tickets to attend can be purchased online with RSVPs requested by March 9; a cocktail reception will precede dinner and program events.
The Oklahoma Historical Society serves as the state’s official historical agency dedicated to collecting, preserving, interpreting, and disseminating information about Oklahoma’s past through museums like its headquarters at the Oklahoma History Center, educational programming, scholarly publications, historic site management across the state, archives access for researchers, and public outreach efforts since its founding in 1893.
