A Very OK Podcast

Maria Tallchief, Marjorie Tallchief, Yvonne Chouteau, Moscelyne Larkin, and Rosella Hightower were all American Indian women, born in Oklahoma during the 1920s, who went on to become prima ballerinas. Nicknamed the “Five Moons,” they achieved the pinnacle of success in their respective ballet careers, making their marks in America and on the international stage. They were named Oklahoma Cultural T...

The confluence of cultures in Oklahoma, from Blacks who arrived as enslaved persons from the southeastern United States to European immigrants, created the ideal environment for the musical form known as jazz to take root. Jazz performers such as Charlie Christian, the Oklahoma City Blue Devils, and the Ernie Fields Orchestra made their mark on the genre starting out in small clubs located in Tuls...

In 1964, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice N.S. Corn was convicted on federal income tax evasion charges. While incarcerated, he provided testimony implicating himself, Justice Earl Welch, and Justice N.B. Johnson in a scheme to accept bribes in exchange for affecting the decision in cases before the court. The resulting scandal cast a shadow over the court and resulted in an impeachment trial in the...

The Cherokee Nation lived in their ancestral homelands in the eastern United States for centuries before the first arrival of Europeans on American soil in the 1500s. As settlers arrived in larger numbers, the Cherokees were forced to cede or sell their lands, first to the British government and then to the United States through successive treaties. This ultimately led to the forced removal of the...

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Oklahoma Territorial Museum in Guthrie, the Daughters of the American Revolution hosted a fireside chat between former governors Brad Henry (2003–2011) and George Nigh (1979–1987) at the Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple in October 2023. In a conversation moderated by Trait Thompson and Michael Williams, registrar and collections specialist at the Oklahoma Ter...

Oklahoma’s motto, Labor Omnia Vincit, means “work conquers all things.” Today, many people see it as a nod to the hardworking nature of our state’s citizens. In reality, it’s a tribute to organized labor, which was a significant political force in the formation of Oklahoma’s constitution and early laws. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the business and agricultural cli...

The 1956 Frederick Bombers were the first integrated high school football team to win a state championship in the United States. Coached by Dean Wild, a previous state champion at Watonga, the team of 12 Black players and 27 white players went 14-0 that year and beat Okmulgee Dunbar 33-0 in the Oklahoma Class B state championship game. Coach Wild’s decision to integrate the team two years after th...

When Clara Luper and her students went to New York City in 1957 to perform her play, Brother President, they experienced integration for the first time. The trip opened their eyes to a new way of living and became the impetus to try to bring freedom to segregated Oklahoma. As the NAACP Youth Council leader and a well-respected teacher, Clara Luper brought 13 students to the lunch counter at Katz D...

Rodeo in Oklahoma evolved from competitions between cowboys at ranches in the Oklahoma Panhandle in the 1880s to the professional sport of the modern era. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn explore the origin of rodeo in Oklahoma, the formation of the PRCA, and the impact the National Finals Rodeo made on Oklahoma City. Their guest is former president of Southwestern Oklahoma St...

Taylor Sheridan’s 1883, a gritty western prequel to his wildly successful Yellowstone series, captured the nation’s attention with its realistic portrayal of an emigrant journey across the US to Oregon. But, how real was it? In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn are joined by Kathy Dickson, director of museums and sites for the Oklahoma Historical Society, and Dr. Jason Harris, dir...

The Oklahoma State Capitol is the temple of our democracy in Oklahoma, the place where people come to have their voice heard. Today, it’s hard to imagine the landscape without the grand edifice. Back in 1910, the cities of Guthrie and Oklahoma City jockeyed back and forth for the rights to the capital city delaying completion of Oklahoma government’s permanent home until 1917. In this episode, Tra...

Bob Wills was born in Texas, but he and his Texas Playboys became a national sensation when they began playing live shows on KVOO from the legendary Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa. Bob’s unique style of music blended folk, jazz, hillbilly, and blues to produce the sound we know today as Western Swing. His music is still as popular as ever and it is regularly covered by today’s top artists. In this live...

As the suffrage movement played out on the national stage with women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Alice Paul leading the charge, Oklahomans were also working to see the 19th Amendment passed and ratified. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the political landscape in Oklahoma and Indian Territories that initially rejected suffrage after 1890 along with their guest, Dr....

Since prehistoric times, commerce has been one of the engines that made Oklahoma run. This began with the Indigenous peoples who lived at Spiro Mounds. They had a vast trade network and obtained goods from across the country, a practice that was continued by their descendants. In the 1700s, French traders moved into eastern Oklahoma, opening up trade to St. Louis and New Orleans. As towns began to...

In this episode, OHS executive director Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn are joined by Oklahoma History Center director Dan Provo to discuss Oklahomans who contributed to the space program in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1961, when President Kennedy challenged Americans to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade, Oklahomans answered the call. Because of people like Gordon Cooper, Owen Garri...

In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn talk with special guest Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell about the importance of cultural tourism in Oklahoma. After discussing some of their favorite historic places in the state, the crew talks about the evolution of the Oklahoma Historical Society from an entity that solely collects artifacts to one that also oversees the operation of import...

When the economy cratered with the stock market crash in October 1929, Oklahomans had already been feeling the effects of an economic depression for several years due to falling agriculture and oil prices. The onset of the Dust Bowl in western Oklahoma and the rejection of the New Deal by the state’s political leadership exacerbated the effects of the Great Depression. In this episode, Trait Thomp...

Kate Barnard may have shaped the early history of Oklahoma more than any other figure. She convinced the delegates to the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention to create the office of commissioner of charities and corrections, a position with the authority to investigate the conditions of prisons, orphanages, hospitals, and other public institutions. She was elected the first commissioner in 1907, on...

In the late 19th century, traveling Wild West shows became a popular form of entertainment. One of the largest and most successful Wild West shows was created by Gordon W. “Pawnee Bill” Lillie and his wife, May, in 1888. It later merged with Buffalo Bill’s show and continued until 1913. In this podcast, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the climate that led to the creation of Wild West...

The game of baseball has a rich history in Oklahoma. From the first organized game in 1882 in Indian Territory to town league teams to the pros, Oklahomans have made their mark on the game. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn explore how baseball made its way to Oklahoma, the significance of those early teams, and Oklahomans who are now enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The...

The advent of the automobile gave lawbreakers the ability to commit crimes and evade local law enforcement. During the 1920s and 1930s, bank robberies and kidnappings became all too common in Oklahoma. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the rise of notorious criminals and how the state created new agencies to enforce the law. Their guest, Leigh Dudley from the Federal Ju...

From the mid-1960s through the early 1980s, several major corruption scandals rocked the halls of government in Oklahoma. Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the political climate in Oklahoma that fostered the atmosphere for corruption to develop. Their guest is Bill Price, former US Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, who prosecuted crooked county commissioners and materials s...

Oklahoma had more than 50 All-Black towns at one time, more than any other state. A special panel of guests discusses the history of some of the towns and efforts being made today to revitalize them. Trait Thompson and Larry O’Dell from the Oklahoma Historical Society are joined by Shirley Nero from Clearview, Henrietta Hicks from Boley, and Sen. Kevin Matthews from Tulsa for an enlightening conve...

After the Civil War, increased westward migration resulted in escalating violent conflict between the Plains Indian tribes protecting their ancestral lands and the new settlers. The 1867 Medicine Lodge Treaty failed to quell the violence, which resulted in Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan’s new strategy of attacking the tribes in their winter camps. In November 1868, Lt. Col. George Custer’s troops march...

December 7, 2021, marked the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss how Oklahoma changed during World War II, and how the state was impacted for generations to come. Joe Todd, author of USS Oklahoma: Remembrance of a Great Lady, joins them and shares many stories that he has collected from Oklahoma’s World War II veterans.