in one of the muskogee languages. so, there are lots and lots of things to know about the united states that, if you don't know what's called indian history or indian treaties, you don't know american history. >>> you can watch this and other american artifacts programs anytime by visiting our website at c-span.org/history. >>> you've been watching c-span's american history tv. you can connect with us on twitter, facebook, and leave comments and check out upcoming programs on our website. >>> we'd like to tell you about some of our other american history tv programs. every saturday at 4:00 p.m. eastern, a look at american history bookshelf. that's every saturday at 4:00 p.m. eastern on american history tv on c-span 3. >>> each week, american artifacts takes you to museums and historic places. from the founding of the united states, george washington encouraged the creation of a garden in the nation's capital that would inspire and educate citizens on plants and their uses. this vision was realized in 1820 when congres

i am muskogee. on my dad's side. culturally muskogee. raised in that way. and through my grandmother -- muskogee. and my citizenry is in the cheyenne and arapahoe tribes of oklahoma. i am a cheyenne citizen. and on both sides, and my mother was cheyenne. my mother's great grandfather was bull bear, who signed the 1867 treaty of medicine lodge creek which provided for exactly what our ancestors asked president lincoln for and he agreed in an unwritten treaty in 1863. movement to indian territory. we are the ones who wanted to go to indian territory, while the muskogees were dragged at bayonet point and gunpoint and many people were killed because they did not want to leave their homes. so very different kinds of experiences that i learned about growing up. in fact, the muskogee people, and maybe other people but certainly the muskogee people, say that the reason that so many muskogee people in oklahoma on the east side of oklahoma are republicans is because andrew jackson was a democrat. every time i go to an atm machine, i get heart palpitations because it

he got his values growing up in muskogee, oklahoma, where he says he had a happy childhood. where he was taught to be independent and not waste money. he still lives there on a 40- acre farm. >> coburn: i got three stalls out there for horses and it's got a big hay loft in it. >> stahl: he and his wife carolyn, a former miss oklahoma, raised their three daughters here, one a nationally known opera singer. >> carolyn coburn: we've known each other since the first grade. by third grade, i was on his list of girlfriends. >> stahl: how many did he have? >> carolyn coburn: three! i was the last. >> coburn: she's telling the story. >> carolyn coburn: i remember the list-- dun, sara, ditten. >> stahl: the biggest influence on tom coburn's life was his father. after graduating college, he went to work for his dad in the family optical business. you told me in washington that your father was an alcoholic. >> coburn: uh-huh. >> stahl: now, that can't be easy when you say that you had a happy childhood. >> coburn: well, it doesn't take away from the great things that my dad did. >> sta

there is no where he would rather be than in his hometown of muskogee, and there is almost nothing you'd rather be doing there than mowing the lawn or eating a sandwich at the favorite barbecue joint or sipping a cold coors. these things to almost everything else except spending time with his grandkids and, of course, his wife carolyn. tom has known carolyn since grade school. she has always been the one to keep them balanced and grounded. she does not care that he is a senator. also the reason tom is such good friends with president obama. both men came to the president the same year that the senate the same year. carolyn spotted michelle obama from across the room. she looks like fun, carolyn said. sit next to her. the rest, as they say, is history, and it is also remarkable, because when tom announced his retirement, from across the political spectrum, it was a day, listen to this, a day when barack obama and jim demint found something they could agree on. it must have brought some joy to tom at such a difficult time. tome departs the senate, will leave one battle behind to confront a

on an oklahoma reservation by a cheyenne and a muskogee father, suzan shown harjo grew up to be one of the most effective advocates for native american rights. she has helped preserve a acres of indian land, helped develop laws preserving sovereignty. she's repatriated sacred cultural items to tribe while expanding museums that celebrate native life. harjo, of suzan shown more are growing up with faith in their future. she's thought all of us that values make america on june 21, 1964, three young men -- to white and one black -- set out to learn more about the burning of a church in mississippi. james earl cheney, 21 years old. andrew witty, 20 years old. arner.l henry schwan or these three americans refused to sit on the sidelines. ir brutal murder shook the conscience of our nation. it took 41 years to bring the lead perpetrator to justice. oftenile they are remember for how they died, we honor them today for how they lived. through idealism and the courage of youth. james, andrew, and michael could not have known the impact they would have on the civil rights movement or future gene

he hails from muskogee, oklahoma is cherokee and creek indian. pent a year as -- in the navy and then took a commission here -- arrived here in annapolis in 1927. earning his commission of june of '31. fleet saw as in the familiar rotation in junior and destroyers, cruisers, battleships, transports. the whole range of surface ships. but the day of the pearl harbor sees them onboard the old piper u.s.s. alden. the doomed u.s. asianic fleet in the dutch east and he would command that ship for more than a year before reporting to seattle, tacoma to advantage of the new u.s.s. johnston, d.d. 557. breaks on october, he takes the routine to the routine, the jeep carriers launched their patrols. and at 0643, one of the planes, brooks,er flown by bill reports a large formation of enemy ships. the first thought is it's hulsey. but closing at 30 knots. miles.is 20 and the men are duly surprised flashing horizon silently with the report of heavy gun fire. apanese capital ships opening fire at long range. is an anti-aircraft cruising disposition, a circle wi

he hails from muskogee oklahoma. his heritage is cherokee and creek indian. enlisted in 1926, spent a year in the navy, and then took a commission and arrived in annapolis in 1927, earning his commission in june of 1931. 10 years in the fleet saw a familiar rotation of junior officer billets and destroyers, cruisers, battleships, transports, the range of surface ships. the day of the pearl harbor attack sees him on board the uss aldrin. she served with the doomed asiatic fleet in the dutch east indies. he would command that ship for more than a year before reporting to seattle-tacoma to take command of the new uss johnston. as twilight breaks off samar on the morning of october 25, he takes his crew through their schedule. a plane flown by bill brooks reports a large formation of enemy ships. the first thought is it is halsey. their closing at 20 knots, the range is 20 miles. the men are surprised to see the horizon flashing silently with the report of heavy gunfire. japanese ships opened fire at long range. it is in a cruising disposition, a circle, a cluste