by Sharelle B. McNair
October 8, 2025
The legislation also lists consequences if the memorial is vandalized.
A new bill from Oklahoma Republicans that would put a Charlie Kirk “memorial plaza” on college campuses is generating controversy.
Chair of the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus, Sen. Shane Jett, filed three pieces of legislation in Kirk’s honor, according to the OU Daily, one of which makes it a requirement for public colleges and universities to develop a memorial square or plaza on their main campus.
Senate Bill 1187 would require permanent signage commemorating Kirk under two options: a statue of Kirk sitting at a table with an empty seat across from him or standing with his wife, holding their kids.
The memorial must be prominently visible and easily accessible in an effort to “maximize public awareness and utilization.” The legislation also says that any student, employee, or faculty member involved in vandalizing the structure would be expelled or fired in addition to being fined for the cost of the damage.
The legislation follows the announcement by Ryan Walters, the former state superintendent of schools, who planned to install Turning Point USA chapters in every Oklahoma high school before resigning in late September. Faculty adviser for the University of Oklahoma Turning Point USA chapter, Gary Barksdale, said he would be proud to see a Kirk memorial on the university campus.
“Because Charlie Kirk’s mission was going across college campuses in the United States, promoting free speech and promoting open dialogue and promoting civil discussion of important issues,” Barksdale explained.
Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA, was assassinated last month during a campus event in Utah.
Several supporters and Christianity advocates compared his death—and legacy—to that of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That instantly caught the attention of the King family.
King’s son, Martin Luther King III, and daughter, Bernice, denounced some of Kirk’s well-known accusations against Black women, including that they lack “the brain processing power to be taken seriously.”
King III called comparing Kirk to his father “a disservice to unification.”
“Kirk certainly was a force in this society and a significant force, but I just disagree with the position that his force was about inclusiveness,” he added. “When you denigrate Black women and say that somebody is in a position just because of the color of their skin, that’s gravely false.”
AI-generated mockups of what the memorials may look like have already circulated on social media, drawing remarks from free speech supporters.
“Looks like a great gathering place for everyone losing their jobs for exercising their 1st amendment rights!” @clairekart wrote in response.
Another user, @retolord, shared similar viewpoints, highlighting how “Kirk’s (sic) supporters are literally running around punishing people for voicing their opinion.”
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