Will Rogers Birthday, November 7, 2020

Steeped in tradition, the Indian Women’s Pocahontas Club pay homage to Will Rogers Birthday.  This is a free public event to be held at 2 p.m. on November 7, 2020, at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum located at 1720 W. Will Rogers Blvd., Claremore, OK.

Each year as we gather in the Rotunda of the Memorial, the Club places a basket of fall foliage at the base of the statue, just as his wife, Betty Blake Rogers did.   The president of the club tells a brief history of the ceremony, and the members recite the “Club Collect.” 

“We are Indian Women of the Pocahontas Club.  We love our Nation’s stories and the histories of our clans.  Whether they be sung or spoken, we treasure our tribal legends, the meeting of our group and all our Indian tokens.   The pride of our race we will forever cherish, that its history and legends will not perish.  For ancient pride of race, this torch we pass to those who come to our place to take.”

As the members, led by the president and the vice president, exit the rotunda the native drummer begins to beat his drum and sing, as the procession follows the path to the garden, where they lay the Ceremonial Wreath at the tomb of Will Rogers.  The Pocahontas Club honors Will, as he honored us in a statement, “He would rather be with the Pocahontas ladies than dine with all the Kings and Queens of the world.”   Members of the club will sing “Amazing Grace.”   After the wreath-laying ceremony, the Master of Ceremonies will welcome the audience.

Guest Speaker, Stacy Leeds, Dean Emeritus of the University of Arkansas, better known as Hunter’s Mom.

Finally, Jana Jae, “Queen of Fiddle,” member of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and the National Fiddler’s Hall of Fame, strikes the bow to the fiddle, and we know Will’s feet would be first on the dance floor.

Join us as we thank the Oklahoma Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts for sponsoring the entertainment, with respect to social distancing.