Documenting Route 66 - Oklahoma Center for the Humanities
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Documenting Route 66

Join us December 2 from 5p-6p for an introductory showcase of the “Road of Flight” exhibit. Event will be held in the Zarrow Center downtown and will feature the work of TU student journalists.

Route 66 holds a special, iconic place in the heart of America. From Dust Bowl migrants fleeing black blizzards to Baby Boomers gassing up to get their kicks, historic Route 66 was the road of flight for more than half a century of American motorists. Tulsa was central to that tale– from the highway’s earliest planning stages to current efforts at revitalizing the historic route in time for its centennial.

Prior to the First Friday unveiling of our “Road of Flight” Route 66 exhibit, the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities will be hosting a panel of student journalists at the University of Tulsa for a discussion of their work on the exhibit. Each student will give a brief overview of their portfolio, present a short audio/visual excerpt, and answer follow-up questions. The event will be moderated by President’s Professors of Media Studies at TU, Ted Genoways and Mary Anne Andrei–both of whom planned, curated, and organized “Road of Flight.”

This exhibit seeks to answer the question: What does Route 66 mean to Tulsans today? Student journalists compiled photographs, interviews, audio, and archival research to create a composite journalistic story that considers the people and places that make up this stretch of road in Tulsa. Together, these student reporters explore such spaces as the motor courts of East 11th Street, the neon-lit restaurants and cafes west of TU’s campus, and the iconic art deco buildings on the edge of downtown. Click the links below to see a sample of each student’s work: