The sale of liquor became legal in Oklahoma on September 1, 1959, ending an era of prohibition that had begun with a constitutional amendment adopted when Oklahoma became a state in 1907.

In a April 7, 1959, special election, 396,845 Oklahomans voted for the repeal of prohibition, and 314,380 voted against repeal. On June 22, the Oklahoma Legislature passed a bill creating a board to regulate the liquor industry, and it was signed by Governor J. Howard Edmondson two days later.

Governor Edmondson signs the liquor control bill while legal assistant Joe Cannon looks on.

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This page was last updated on September 29, 2017.