Henry B. Bass “Dear Everybody” Newsletters: An Oklahoman Point of View

Henry B. Bass was an Enid, Oklahoma contractor and an avid collector of poetry about Abraham Lincoln. Bass was elected into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1967. He was a nationally recognized authority on the Civil War.

He also wrote several books, including Bob’s Europe: A Chronicle of the Wanderings of Four Sooners in Post-War Western Europe (1949), Methodism in Enid (coauthored with his brother John Harvey Bass in 1959), Building for a Rugged Individualist (1961), and The First 75 Years: D. C. Bass & Sons Construction Company, 1893–1968 (1969). He was involved in the Enid community, known for his suggestions for bettering the community and serving on numerous boards.

His monthly newsletter, written over the course of 48 years, was intended for friends and relatives and covered topics and issues of interest to Bass. Each newsletter began, “Dear Everybody.” Special Collections has a diverse sample of his newsletters, dating between 1962 and 1975.

 

His detailed newsletters are a treasure trove of regional and national discussions and read like juicy editorials. He covers all subjects from gubernatorial and presidential elections to personal trips across the country/Europe to local and Civil War history to comments on personal, everyday life details.

Researchers and hobbyist alike can find valuable information about the personal life of an Oklahoman in the 1960s and 1970s. Bass offers political opinions on important campaigns and elections in those years. He also provides lively details about his trip to Europe during those years and delivers thoughtful commentary on issues of the day.

The collection is available to the public. It is housed off-site, so if you would like to peruse Bass’s “Dear Everybody” collection, please notify Special Collections at least 24 hours in advance.