Oklahoma American Indians to help usher in new national museum

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Hundreds of Oklahomans will participate in opening ceremonies for the Museum of the American Indian in Washington this week. <br/><br/>They will take advantage of the time in the capital

Sunday, September 19th 2004, 2:45 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Hundreds of Oklahomans will participate in opening ceremonies for the Museum of the American Indian in Washington this week.

They will take advantage of the time in the capital to lobby lawmakers for Indian-friendly legislation, raise money for pro-Indian candidates for public office and celebrate their cultures.

Members from all 557-plus US tribes and nations are expected to attend.

More than 20 Oklahoma tribes plan to participate in the Native Nations Procession leading up to the opening ceremony Tuesday.

Five Oklahoma-born ballerinas who danced in the 1940s and '50s will be honored as the museum's first National Cultural Treasures.

The art of late Oklahoma Apache Indian Allan Houser will make up half of the inaugural exhibit in one of the museum's galleries.