Former Southwest Times Record Photo Editor to Share Career Highlights at Historical Society Meeting

Thursday, August 14, 2025 – The Sequoyah County Historical Society will host longtime photojournalist Carrol Copeland at its upcoming meeting on Saturday, August 17, at 2 p.m. Copeland, former photo editor at the Southwest Times Record, will share stories and images from his 38-year career capturing moments of local and regional history.

A Sequoyah County resident, Copeland began his newspaper career in 1972 at the Sequoyah County Times, where he sold advertising, delivered newspapers, and covered everything from the first dogwood blooms of spring to Friday night football. Later that year, he joined the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith, Arkansas, as a staff photographer. He was later promoted to senior photographer and served as photo editor until his retirement in 2012.

Over the decades, Copeland’s lens recorded both everyday life and historic events, including the I-40 bridge collapse, the arson fire at Old Sallisaw High School, major traffic accidents, fires, crime scenes, and countless sporting events, from local high school games to Arkansas Razorback football and the Old Fort Rodeo. His work also included photographing U.S. Presidents Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush, along with numerous senators, congressmen, and other political leaders.

Copeland’s photography has earned him numerous honors from the Oklahoma and Arkansas Press Associations. In 1995, he was named Photographer of the Year by the Oklahoma Press Association.

The Sequoyah County Historical Society is located at 200 East Creek in Sallisaw.

Lindsie Dyer, Staff Writer

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