1st Oklahoma Legislature
The first session of Oklahoma's bicameral state legislature, held from December 2, 1907, to May 26, 1908.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The 1st Oklahoma Legislature was the inaugural meeting of the Oklahoma Legislature after Oklahoma became a state on November 16, 1907. It convened in Guthrie City Hall from December 2, 1907, through May 26, 1908, during the first year of Governor Charles Haskell's only term. The legislature consisted of the Oklahoma State Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives and established many of the institutional and legal foundations of the new state government. Democrats held large majorities in both chambers. Henry S. Johnston of Perry was selected as the first president pro tempore of the Senate, while Lieutenant Governor George W. Bellamy served as president of the Senate and possessed the deciding vote in the event of a tie. In the House, the Democratic caucus chose William H. Murray of Tishomingo as speaker. Murray had presided over Oklahoma's constitutional convention and had previously represented the Chickasaw Nation. Albert H. Ellis was elected speaker pro tempore, and Charles H. Pittman served as the House's first chief clerk. The session addressed several issues that shaped the early political identity of Oklahoma. One of its most important measures established statewide prohibition on the manufacture, transportation, and possession of liquor. Senator Richard Billups authored the prohibition proposal, while Murray supported an amendment permitting state liquor dispensaries for medicinal and scientific purposes. Governor Haskell signed the measure on March 24, 1908. The legislature also enacted one of the earliest and most consequential segregation laws in the state's history. The first bill introduced in both chambers after statehood required separate railroad coaches and waiting rooms for Black and white passengers. The House and Senate introduced closely related versions on the second legislative day. Both chambers approved the measure by wide margins, and it took effect on December 18, 1907. The law formed part of Oklahoma's Jim Crow legal order and restricted the civil rights and movement of African Americans. Debate recorded in the legislative proceedings included an objection to a provision concerning Black nurses and attendants traveling in cars or compartments designated for white passengers. Under Murray's leadership, the House also considered measures intended to curb business excesses and support agriculture. The legislature's work occurred during the difficult transition from territorial government to state government, requiring the new state to create operating procedures, define legislative responsibilities, and begin implementing the Oklahoma Constitution. The 1st Legislature ended when its regular session adjourned on May 26, 1908. It was succeeded by the 2nd Oklahoma Legislature and is now a historical governmental body rather than an active organization or commercial brand.
History
The 1st Oklahoma Legislature was created by Oklahoma's admission to the United States on November 16, 1907. It was the first meeting of the state's permanent legislative institution and consisted of two chambers: the Oklahoma State Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The legislature convened in Guthrie City Hall on December 2, 1907, only two weeks after statehood, and remained in regular session until May 26, 1908. The session took place during Governor Charles Haskell's first and only term. Because Oklahoma was a newly admitted state, the legislature had both ordinary lawmaking responsibilities and the practical task of starting a state government. Its members operated under the framework of the recently adopted Oklahoma Constitution and began translating constitutional provisions into enforceable statutes and administrative arrangements. Democrats held substantial majorities in both chambers. Lieutenant Governor George W. Bellamy presided over the Senate and retained a tie-breaking vote. Democratic senators selected Henry S. Johnston of Perry as the first president pro tempore. Johnston had been the presiding officer of the constitutional convention, giving him an important connection to the state's founding legal document. In the House, William H. Murray of Tishomingo was selected as speaker after deliberation within the Democratic caucus. Murray had also served as president of the constitutional convention and had represented the Chickasaw Nation. Albert H. Ellis became speaker pro tempore, and Charles H. Pittman was appointed the House's first chief clerk. The legislature's earliest work included legislation on alcohol and racial segregation. Senator Richard Billups introduced a prohibition bill designed to ban the manufacture, transportation, and possession of liquor. William H. Murray amended the proposal to permit state liquor dispensaries for medicinal and scientific purposes. Governor Haskell signed the resulting measure on March 24, 1908, making prohibition a central feature of early Oklahoma policy. The first bill introduced in each chamber was a railroad segregation measure. The House version was titled an act concerning the accommodation, comfort, convenience, and protection of passengers on railroad trains and cars. The Senate introduced a related measure addressing railroads, streetcars, interurban and suburban cars, and station facilities. The proposals required separate coaches and waiting rooms for white and Black passengers. The House passed its version after suspending the rules, while the Senate treated its version as an emergency bill. Both received broad support, including support from many Republicans, and the law took effect on December 18, 1907. The measure became an early statutory expression of Oklahoma's Jim Crow system. The legislative record identifies opposition to a provision allowing Black nurses and attendants to ride in cars or compartments assigned to white passengers, but otherwise records little chamber resistance. The House under Murray also pursued measures intended to limit perceived business abuses and assist agriculture. These priorities reflected Progressive-era concerns about corporate power, economic fairness, and the development of a predominantly agricultural state. The legislature's broad significance lies less in a single institutional program than in its role as Oklahoma's first statewide lawmaking body. It established precedents for legislative leadership, enacted foundational state policies, and demonstrated how the new state would address race, alcohol, commerce, and agriculture. Its term ended with adjournment on May 26, 1908, after which the 2nd Oklahoma Legislature became the next regular legislative meeting.
- 1908
Prohibition law signed
[1]Governor Charles Haskell signed the legislature's prohibition measure on March 24, 1908, with a limited exception for medicinal and scientific dispensaries.
- 1908
Regular session concludes
[1]The inaugural legislative session ended on May 26, 1908, and was followed by the 2nd Oklahoma Legislature.
- 1907
Oklahoma achieves statehood
[1]Oklahoma entered the Union on November 16, creating the constitutional basis for its first state legislature.
- 1907
First legislative session opens
[1]The 1st Oklahoma Legislature convened at Guthrie City Hall on December 2, 1907.
- 1907
Railroad segregation measure takes effect
[1]A law requiring separate railroad coaches and waiting rooms for Black and white passengers became effective on December 18, 1907.
Products and positioning
The inaugural lawmaking institution of the State of Oklahoma, focused on establishing state governance and enacting early statewide policy.
Controversies
Brand decisions
1908
Statewide prohibition legislationStrategyBackground
Senator Richard Billups proposed restrictions on the manufacture, transportation, and possession of liquor as part of the new state's early policy program.
Action taken
The legislature adopted the prohibition measure after an amendment by William H. Murray created an exception for state dispensaries serving medicinal and scientific purposes. Governor Charles Haskell signed it on March 24, 1908.
Aftermath
Prohibition became one of the defining regulatory policies of early Oklahoma state government.
1907
Adoption of railroad segregation legislationOtherBackground
Immediately after statehood, both chambers introduced bills requiring separate facilities and railway accommodations for Black and white passengers.
Action taken
The House and Senate passed their respective measures by wide majorities. The law took effect on December 18, 1907.
Aftermath
The enactment became an early statutory foundation of segregation in Oklahoma and a significant restriction on African American civil rights.
Recent events
- 1908
Governor signs statewide prohibition legislation[1]
Regulation
Governor Charles Haskell signed legislation prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, and possession of liquor, subject to a medicinal and scientific dispensary exception.
- 1907
Oklahoma's inaugural legislature convenes in Guthrie[1]
Other
The first Oklahoma Legislature began its regular session at Guthrie City Hall on December 2, shortly after Oklahoma entered the Union.
Sources1 sources
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