1. The First University in Indian Territory Opened its Doors in 1894
On September 3, 1894, the first university in the Indian Territory, the University of the Cherokee Nation, opened its doors in Tahlequah. The university was established by the Cherokee Nation to provide higher education opportunities for Cherokee students.

2. Oklahoma Became a State in 1907
On September 3, 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the proclamation that made Oklahoma the 46th state in the Union. The state was formed by merging the Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory, and the capital was established in Oklahoma City.

3. The Tulsa Race Massacre Began in 1921
On September 3, 1921, the Tulsa Race Massacre began with the arrest of a black man accused of assaulting a white woman. The incident sparked a violent confrontation between the African American and white communities in Tulsa, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of black residents and the destruction of the Greenwood District, known as "Black Wall Street."

4. Oklahoma City Bombing Suspect Arrested in 1995
On September 3, 1995, Timothy McVeigh, the primary suspect in the Oklahoma City bombing, was arrested in Perry, Oklahoma. The bombing, which occurred on April 19, 1995, resulted in the deaths of 168 people and remains one of the deadliest acts of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.

5. Oklahoma State University's First Black Female President took office in 2019
On September 3, 2019, Dr. Kayse Shrum became the first black female president of Oklahoma State University. Dr. Shrum, who is also a physician, is the first woman to lead OSU and the first graduate of the university's College of Osteopathic Medicine to become its president.