From Tecumseh, Anita Arnold has devoted her life to opening the doors for others. She was one of only a few Black employees hired by Western Electric while still in her 20s. With the U. S. Postal Service, where she created and maintained national database systems, she became the second-highest ranking female in the country. As an employee of what is known today as AT&T, Arnold took up the fight to ensure the jobs of Black employees were protected during the dissolution of the former Bell System. She was the founder and president of a national organization within AT&T that not only retained, but attracted Black employees to the company. Today the organization boasts more than 10,000 members.

For more than three decades she has served as the executive director of the Black Liberated Arts Center, commonly known as BLAC, Inc. Through her work at BLAC, Inc. she has focused her energy on elevating the arts in Oklahoma’s Black communities. From platforms for Black artists to securing funding to ensure a wide range of programming is available, Arnold is focused on providing opportunities. She founded the Charlie Christian International Music Festival, annually bringing thousands to the Oklahoma City metro.

Arnold has authored six books and countless articles for magazines and newspapers celebrating and chronicling the history of the communities she serves. Her honors include induction to the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame and Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, the Delta Kappa Gamma State Creative Woman of Oklahoma Award, and the Oklahoma Governor’s Arts in Education Award.