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Board member of the Historical Society for the Western District of Oklahoma, Arvo Mikkanen, received the Warrior Advocate Award last year from the National Native American Bar Association.

He was instrumental in creating the Osage Reign of Terror: The Untold Legal History Exhibit at the Federal Judicial Learning Center & Museum, which remains on display, telling of the Hale & Ramsey trials involving murder of Osage Indians profiled in the book and movie "Killers of the Flower Moon."

OKC Courthouse Museum Hosts Law Day Event on Osage Reign of Terror Trials in Historic Federal Courtroom

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — May 1, 2025 — The Historical Society of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and its Federal Judicial Learning Center and Museum today commemorated Law Day 2025 with a public program exploring the federal government’s role in prosecuting crimes committed against Osage Nation citizens during the 1920s oil boom. “Law Day” celebrated annually on May 1, is dedicated to recognizing and appreciating the rule of law and its role in American Society. It’s a time to reflect on how the court system protects freedoms, ensures justice, and provides framework to resolve conflicts and crimes peacefully.

The event kicked off with a presentation by Oklahoma Indian Bar Association president Arvo Mikkanen, a Kiowa, who discussed the history behind the prosecutions as an introduction to a 30-minute documentary entitled “The Osage Reign of Terror: The Untold Legal History.” The documentary, featuring a number of Osage attorneys and scholars, was shown in the historic second floor Oklahoma City federal courtroom where one of the 1926 trials occurred. Special tours of the exhibit “The Osage Reign of Terror: The Untold Legal History,” took place following the screening. The dramatic story was told in the 2023 major motion picture “Killers of the Flower Moon,” now publicly available on the Apple TV subscription service. Former Chief U.S. District Judge Ralph Thompson, Chairman of the Historical Society, addressed the courtroom full of middle and high school students highlighting the importance of capturing the court’s legacy and its historic cases, including the Hale and Ramsey trials.

Visitors, including over 70 students and staff from the Indian Education Programs of Norman, Moore, Oklahoma City, and Edmond Public School Systems, watched the film and toured the Judicial Learning Center - learning about the federal murder trials of William K. Hale and John Ramsey, who were charged with orchestrating the deaths of many Osage tribal members to get access to their oil wealth. The exhibit and film highlight the federal investigation led by the Bureau of Investigation (now the FBI), the courtroom drama that followed, and the long-lasting legal and cultural impact of the trials—including a landmark Supreme Court ruling upholding tribal and federal jurisdiction over Indian lands, amid allegations of juror and witness tampering.
The exhibit will be on display for the coming months and its highlights include rare artifacts, historic maps, original documents, the documentary film, and Lillie Morrell Burkhart’s Osage wedding coat, on loan from the White Hair Memorial and the Oklahoma Historical Society.

This exhibit remains free and open to the public, and is housed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court building in Downtown Oklahoma City.
“The Osage Reign of Terror: The Untold Legal History” exhibit and documentary were made possible by an Oklahoma Historical Preservation Grant from the Oklahoma Historical Society. The Law Day event is generously sponsored by the Osage Nation Foundation. Executive Director Leigh Wedge stressed how the exhibit has assisted in outreach to the community and has helped educate students and the public about the rule of law, and the role of the federal courts in relation to tribal lands in Oklahoma.

To schedule a visit, contact Leigh Wedge at [email protected] or 405-697-6117.

Museum to Host Law Day Event on Osage Reign of Terror Trials in Historic Federal Courtroom

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — May 1, 2025 — The Historical Society of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and its Federal Judicial Learning Center and Museum will commemorate Law Day 2025 with a public program exploring the federal government’s role in prosecuting crimes committed against Osage citizens during the 1920s oil boom.

Special tours of the exhibit “The Osage Reign of Terror: The Untold Legal History” will take place on Thursday, May 1, 2025, and feature two free tours and screenings of a documentary at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the very courtroom where one of the 1926 trials occurred. The dramatic story was told in the 2023 major motion picture Killers of the Flower Moon, now publicly available on the Apple TV subscription service.

Visitors will tour the Judicial Learning Center exhibits and the historic second-floor courtroom while learning about the federal murder trials of William K. Hale and John Ramsey, who were charged with orchestrating the deaths of many Osage tribal members to gain access to their oil wealth. The exhibit and film highlight the federal investigation led by the Bureau of Investigation (now the FBI), the courtroom drama that followed, and the long-lasting legal and cultural impact of the trials—including a landmark Supreme Court ruling amid allegations of juror tampering.

Exhibit highlights include rare artifacts, original documents, and Lillie Morrell Burkhart’s Osage wedding coat, on loan from the White Hair Memorial and the Oklahoma Historical Society.

This event is free and open to the public, with a special emphasis on students and educators.

To schedule a visit, contact Executive Director Leigh Wedge at [email protected] or 405-697-6117.

The Osage Reign of Terror: The Untold Legal History exhibit and documentary were made possible by an Oklahoma Historical Preservation Grant from the Oklahoma Historical Society. The Law Day event is generously sponsored by the Osage Nation Foundation.
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Event Details:
📅 Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
🎞️ Tour & Film Times: 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
📍 Location: Federal Judicial Learning Center and Museum
215 Dean A. McGee Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73102
🎟️ Admission: FREE