The History of Washita Massacre

CATC President Henrietta Mann, President Randy Beutler and Dr. Sunu Kodumthara will be presenting on the history of the massacre that took place at the nationally recognized Washita Battlefield National Historic Site. The lectures will take place on the Weatherford Campus tonight - SCI-Science Room: 208 at 6pm.

The site protects and interprets the setting along the Washita River where Lt. Col. George A. Custer led the 7th U.S. Cavalry on a surprise dawn attack against the Southern Cheyenne village of Peace Chief Black Kettle on November 27, 1868.

Science Fiction Writer Philip K. Dick

March 2, 2012 was the 30th anniversary of the death of science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. The work of PKD has had a growing influence upon fiction and movies throughout those 30 years. He lived long enough to see some of the daily takes for the movie "Blade Runner" but did not get to see the project completed and released.

Since "Blade Runner" a number of PKD titles have inspired big production movies. Most recently "Adjustment Bureau" has been in the theaters and "King of the Elves" will soon be released by Disney. More important than specific movie-makes of his works is the style of a PKD story that includes alternative realities, mutated beings, and paranoia. These elements have become a mainstay of contemporary movie making whether or not they are directly inspired by a work of PKD. "The 6th Day" is an excellent example.

The movies have contributed to the continuing interest in the novels and short stories of PKD. His body of work has finally managed to stay in print. Regard for his unique brand of story-telling has increased with each decade. At this point academic works are being written that give him credibility as an American literary figure.

The Al Harris Library has included the work of Philip K. Dick in its collection development. Among recent acquisitions are his mainstream novels written early in his career and abandoned upon repeated rejection. Some have only been available in print during the past few years.

Also, recently added is the 2011 publication of "The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick". This work is a portion of over 8,000 pages of personal journal entries that he wrote from 1974 until his death in 1982. He uses his own fiction as a springboard for grappling philosophically with events in his life. We have also included recent biographical and academic works about PKD.

Career Guidance For University Students

Graduation time is fast approaching and with it, the need for good, practical career advice.  Students should keep in mind the following concepts:  (1) Your first job out of college is not likely to be the same type of work as what you will do in 12 to 15 years, so be open to the excitement of change;  (2) What you think is so important, like making lots of money now, may well change in the future;  (3) If you are unsure of what to do, continuing in graduate or professional school may not be the best choice;  (4) Others will continue to have an impact on your job life, so do not "burn the bridges behind you" when you get or change jobs in the future; and, (5) Don't be discouraged if today's "job availability" is not what you desire when you graduate - Better days are coming.  Although these "tips" are not perfect, they may help you reduce future regrets about your career path and education choices.


In addition to job information, this display also includes books about resumes and interviewing techniques. Keep in mind the Career Services office at SWOSU, located @ STF 209.  The mission of Career Services is to provide services for all SWOSU students and alumni.  They will be glad to assist individuals in securing internships, summer work opportunities, and full-time employment.

The Grave of the Titanic

Apirl 15, 2012 will be the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

A webpage from The Gulf of Maine Research Institute describes: "At 11:40 PM on April 14, 1912, she struck an iceberg about 400 miles off Newfoundland, Canada. Although her crew had been warned about icebergs several times that evening by other ships navigating through that region, she was traveling at near top speed of about 20.5 knots when one grazed her side."

"Less than three hours later, the Titanic plunged to the bottom of the sea, taking more than 1500 people with her. Only a fraction of her passengers were saved. The world was stunned to learn of the fate of the unsinkable Titanic."

This horrific event has sparked many imaginations over the past century and inspired projects from disciplines as varied as: History, Fiction, Movies, Engineering, and Deep Sea Exploration. See our library display showing examples of books and movies available for you to check out on the subject of the Sinking of the Titanic.

Spaghetti Westerns

There’s a man in the distance, at least it looks like a man. The heat coming off the desert floor makes it hard to be sure. The air is still, hot and oppressive. The only movement is a lone vulture circling high in a cobalt blue sky. There are three bodies on the ground, gunslingers, outlaws by the look of them. The man in the distance is vanishing as he rides further and further away. A lone trumpet sounds and the credits role...

Spaghetti Westerns are a genre of Western film that emerged in the mid-1960s, so named because most were produced and directed by Italians, usually in co-production with a Spanish partner and in some cases a German partner. They have become iconic symbols of an American Western History that never existed. It is one of the ironies of film production that we define ourselves through the vision and sensibilities of foreign directors, writers and film makers.

Learn more about Spaghetti Westerns through our interactive display at the Al Harris Library.

February is African American History Month

The library is showcasing the contributions of notable men and women in Black history. At our display, you notice a considerable amount of material highlighting the contribution of Martin Luther King Jr. including the video Citizen King. Besides books, you will find bookmarks celebrating this month--the bookmarks are free to take.

With such a rich history, our library display can't possibly cover all the persons, events and topics related to Black history. Therefore, a link has been attached to the content generated by the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, and the Smithsonian Institute.

The following excerpt from Daryl Michael Scott outlines the history of this month-long recognition:

As a Harvard-trained historian, Carter G. Woodson, like W. E. B. Du Bois before him, believed that truth could not be denied and that reason would prevail over prejudice. His hopes to raise awareness of African American's contributions to civilization was realized when he and the organization he founded, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), conceived and announced Negro History Week in 1925. The event was first celebrated during a week in February 1926 that encompassed the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The response was overwhelming: Black history clubs sprang up; teachers demanded materials to instruct their pupils; and progressive whites, not simply white scholars and philanthropists, stepped forward to endorse the effort.

By the time of Woodson's death in 1950, Negro History Week had become a central part of African American life and substantial progress had been made in bringing more Americans to appreciate the celebration. At mid–century, mayors of cities nationwide issued proclamations noting Negro History Week. The Black Awakening of the 1960s dramatically expanded the consciousness of African Americans about the importance of black history, and the Civil Rights movement focused Americans of all color on the subject of the contributions of African Americans to our history and culture.

The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation's bicentennial. President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” That year, fifty years after the first celebration, the association held the first African American History Month. By this time, the entire nation had come to recognize the importance of Black history in the drama of the American story. Since then each American president has issued African American History Month proclamations. And the association—now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)—continues to promote the study of Black history all year.

(Excerpt from an essay by Daryl Michael Scott, Howard University, for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History)

from the Smithsonian Magazine,

In honor of this year's celebration, travel in Harriet Tubman’s footsteps and discover the daring escape from slavery of William and Ellen Craft. Read about the great musicians who performed at the legendary Apollo theater in Harlem, and learn about Black History Month celebrations at the Smithsonian and the around the country.

The Invisible Line Between Black and White

On the Trail of Harriet Tubman

Martin Luther King Jr. by Mural

The Great Escape from Slavery of Ellen and William Craft

Show Time at the Apollo

A Civil Rights Watershed in Biloxi, Mississippi

Courage at the Greensboro Lunch Counter

The Scurlock Studio: Picture of Prosperity

A Year of Hope for Joplin and Johnson

Memphis Blues, Mississippi Delta Roots

Henrietta Lacks' 'Immortal' Cells

Remembering the Apollo I Tragedy & History of the Apollo Missions

On January 27, 1967, tragedy struck the Apollo program when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States extravehicular activity during the Gemini program; and Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first space flight, died in this tragic accident.

A seven-member board, under the direction of the NASA Langley Research Center Director, Dr. Floyd L. Thompson, conducted a comprehensive investigation to pinpoint the cause of the fire. The final report, completed in April 1967 was subsequently submitted to the NASA Administrator. The report presented the results of the investigation and made specific recommendations that led to major design and engineering modifications, and revisions to test planning, test discipline, manufacturing processes and procedures, and quality control. With these changes, the overall safety of the command and service module and the lunar module was increased substantially. The AS-204 mission was redesignated Apollo I in honor of the crew.

--Information from the NASA History Program website

The anniversary of this tragedy which created some beneficial changes to the subsequent Apollo missions is something to be remembered now that the United States embarks on new territory of space exploration with the recent retirement of the space shuttle program. Regardless of the passage of time, the Apollo missions still have a profound impact on modern society. Hollywood, in particular, continues to revisit these moments in space aviation history in such films as Apollo 13 (starring Tom Hanks), Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon (where the crew of Apollo 11 seemingly had an alternative agenda to undertake while on the moon), and the recent sci-fi thriller, Apollo 18 (a "what if..?" movie if the Apollo 18 mission had taken place, the Apoll0 18, 19, & 20 missions were scrapped for several possible reasons).

The library display has information on many of the Apollo missions and the forgotten astronauts who made history attempting or reaching the stars. Please visit our library display to enjoy a trip to NASA and pay your respects to the astronauts who gave their lives exploring a vast frontier.