Special Olympics Oklahoma History
Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy
Shriver. The first International Special Olympics
Games were held in 1968 at Soldier Field in
Chicago. There are programs in all 50 states and
over 3.5 million participants in 226 Programs
from 170 countries. Special Olympics, Inc. is
a non-profit international organization located in
Washington, DC.

Oklahoma's first Special Olympics event was an
athletics competition at the University of Tulsa in
1969. In 1972, Special Olympics Oklahoma was
incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
and is governed by a state-wide Board of
Directors. Special Olympics Oklahoma is
authorized and accredited by Special Olympics,
Inc., for the benefit of citizens with intellectual
disabilities.