Author

Bob L. Blackburn

Bob Blackburn, a native Oklahoman, served as executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society from 1999 till 2021. He joined the OHS in 1980 as editor of The Chronicles of Oklahoma and became deputy director for agency operations in 1990.

Blackburn is a 1973 graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. He earned his M.A. & Ph.D. in history from Oklahoma State University. Blackburn grew up in Edmond and graduated from Putnam City High School in 1969.

Blackburn published several articles and his first book while still in graduate school and has since written or co-authored more than 20 books and numerous articles, journal entries, and screen plays. He is a steady source of historical information to the media and has appeared numerous times on The History Channel.

He was instrumental in planning and building the Oklahoma History Center, a 215,000-square-foot museum and research center. Blackburn has served on numerous national and regional boards and committees, including the Western History Association, the Oklahoma Association of Professional Historians, the AIA, and Leadership Oklahoma City.

Hall of Fame Inductee

Bob L. Blackburn
was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in
.

Recent Publications

Adult

Love's: Fifty Five Years of A Family Enterprise

Tom and Judy Love opened their first store in 1964 with little money and a growing family to support. Over the years, Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores has grown to become the fastest growing chain of fueling stations in the nation. The company has been family owned and operated for 55 years, and continues to grow and innovate with a unified vision.

Love's: Fifty Years of a Family's Enterprise

Tom and Judy Love opened their first store in 1964, and it has since grown into the fastest growing chain of fueling stations in the nation. The company was started as a family enterprise and is still owned 100% by the Love family. With a unified vision and a belief in growth, Love's will continue to add new chapters to its story.