Kate Barnard Statue at Sanctuary OKC
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Catholic Charities is in the initial stages of installing a statue of historic trailblazer Kate Barnard.
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Kate Barnard
Catherine Ann "Kate" Barnard (1875–1930) was the first woman elected to state office in Oklahoma, serving two terms as Commissioner of Charities and Corrections—the only position the 1907 state constitution allowed women to hold.Early Life & Education
Born in Geneva, Nebraska, Barnard lost her mother at age two and was raised by relatives. In 1891, she moved to Oklahoma, living alone on her father’s land claim before relocating to Oklahoma City in 1895. She attended St. Joseph’s Academy, earned a teaching certificate, and taught until 1902.Path to Reform
After leaving teaching, Barnard worked as a legislative secretary and, in 1904, was chosen as a territorial hostess at the St. Louis World’s Fair. There, she met social reformers like Jane Addams and witnessed urban poverty firsthand, inspiring her advocacy for social justice. She became involved in charity work and labor movements, contributing to the 1906 “Shawnee Demands,” which influenced Oklahoma’s constitution.
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Political Career & Reforms
As Commissioner, Barnard championed compulsory education, child labor laws, and aid for widows. She fought unsafe working conditions, union blacklisting, and the abuse of Native American children. Her exposé on the mistreatment of Oklahoma prisoners held in Kansas—forced into labor and tortured—led to their return and the construction of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.Fall from Power
Barnard’s advocacy for Native American land rights, particularly exposing corruption surrounding Indian land theft, led powerful political figures to defund her office, ending her career. She played a key role in the first governmental investigation into the Osage murders.Legacy
Barnard spent her later years in Oklahoma, often traveling due to health issues. She passed away in 1930 in Oklahoma City, where she was buried in an unmarked grave until the 1980s. Today, her bronze statue stands in the Oklahoma State Capitol, and she was inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame in 1982.
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