In this talk we will seek to learn more about contemporary Oklahoma by looking at how our past formed who we are today. We will review how Tulsa became so different from the rest of Oklahoma and examine factors in our city’s past that contributed to our cultural formation. We will conclude by identifying changes occurring in Tulsa now and how these changes are already shaping our future.  Currently, Director of the University of Oklahoma’s Center for the Study of Democracy and Culture, Rodger Randle is a former four-term Oklahoma state senator, and served two terms as Mayor of the City of Tulsa.