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- By Chickasaw Nation Media
A renowned legal scholar, an elite artist, a respected preservationist, a dedicated servant-leader and an early-day entrepreneur make up the 2024 class of the Chickasaw Hall of Fame.
The 2024 Chickasaw Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be 6 p.m., Thursday, April 25, at the Ataloa Theatre located on the East Central University campus, Ada, Oklahoma.
Induction into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed upon citizens of the Chickasaw Nation.
Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby will induct the new class of honorees.
Chickasaw Hall of Fame inductees include: Janie Simms Hipp, J.D., LL.M., the first enrolled tribal citizen to serve as general counsel for the United States Department of Agriculture; Montford Johnson, a Chickasaw cattleman and entrepreneur who overcame adversity to establish a ranching empire along the Chisholm Trail, will be honored posthumously; Paul “Lance” Straughn, an award-winning Chickasaw painter and sculptor; Patricia Ann Engle Woods, one of the first community health representatives for the Chickasaw Nation with more than 40 years of service; and William Joseph Wright, former Chickasaw National Recreation Area Superintendent with more than 39 years of service to the National Park Service.
Each year an induction ceremony takes place to welcome honorees into the prestigious Chickasaw Hall of Fame. Since its origin, the hall of fame ceremony has celebrated the contributions of the inductees and recognized them for their extraordinary accomplishments.
The event is open to the public at no charge. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
The event will also be livestreamed on HOF.Chickasaw.net and the Chickasaw Nation Facebook page.
About the Chickasaw Hall of Fame and Aaholiitobli' Honor Garden
In 1987, the Chickasaw Nation began honoring Chickasaws who made significant contributions to Chickasaw people or the First American community by induction into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame.
Since then, Chickasaw men and women have been inducted into this prestigious circle of honor.
Located on the Chickasaw Cultural Center campus in Sulphur, Oklahoma, the Aaholiitobli' Honor Garden is crafted from natural elements including rock, granite and copper. It is a beautiful and serene monument dedicated to individuals inducted into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame. Its peaceful setting invites visitors to reflect and view the etched granite plaques commemorating each inductee.
For more information on the Chickasaw Hall of Fame, visit HOF.Chickasaw.net.
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