OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.–Seven credit unions in this state were honored by the Oklahoma State Senate for their assistance in commissioning a new piece of artwork that will be prominently displayed in the capitol rotunda.
According to the Cornerstone CU League, in the autumn of 2015 State Sen. Dan Newberry was asked to lead fundraising efforts to help create a new painting depicting part of Oklahoma’s unique history. Newberry, also a member of the management team at TTCU The Credit Union in Tulsa, approached Oklahoma CU Association President Nate Webb regarding the willingness of Oklahoma credit unions to assist with the project. Within 48 hours, seven credit unions had stepped up and pledged the entire $10,000 needed for the project, the CCUL said.
The new work is of Bass Reeves, the first black lawman of the old west. A former slave, Reeves escaped into Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) where he was eventually appointed a U.S. Marshall.
The painting, created by artist Wayne Cooper, now hangs in the second floor rotunda of the Oklahoma Capitol building. The display includes a plaque with the names of the seven Oklahoma credit unions that made the project possible: TTCU The Credit Union, Weokie, Communications FCU, Oklahoma Central, Green Country FCU, Truity and Bison FCU.