A Very OK Podcast

Making History on the Gridiron

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 the Brown v. Board of Education decision was not popular with some local leaders, but the players developed a special bond that has spanned the decades since that magical season. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn speak to Danny Griffin, a running back on the team who was selected to the All-Area Southern Oklahoma team. Danny recounts his memories of growing up in Frederick and tells stories about his talented teammates.

A Little Freedom is a Dangerous Thing

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 Drug Store on August 19, 1958 and waited to be served. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss Oklahoma’s history of segregation and the fortitude it took to bring change. Their guest is Marilyn Luper Hildreth, daughter of Clara Luper and longtime Civil Rights activist whose idea for the Katz Drug Store sit-in sparked a nationwide movement. 

They Call the Thing Rodeo

 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 State University and Oklahoma Historical Society board member, Randy Beutler. He discusses the formation of the Beutler Brothers stock contractors in 1929 and how they became the largest stock contractor in the country. Randy also talks about some of the famous rodeo broncs and bulls in Beutler Brothers history along with the reputation of Beutler stock being “a cowboy’s worst nightmare.”

 

1883: Fact vs. Fiction

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, director of the Chisholm Trail Museum in Kingfisher, to discuss what the show got right from a historical perspective and where it veered off the trail. Of particular interest were the scenes that took place in Indian Territory after the band of travelers crossed the Red River. Be warned! There are spoilers in this episode

The People’s House

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, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the history of the capitol and its resilience over the decades. Their guests are Bob Ross with the Inasmuch Foundation and film director Bryan Beasley. They discuss the new documentary film on the capitol that will be completed in May 2023.

Live Episode: The Life and Legacy of Bob Wills

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 episode, recorded at Ponyboy in Oklahoma City, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn are joined by Carolyn Wills, Brett Bingham, John Wooley, and Jeff Moore. Special guest Kyle Dillingham performed “Milk Cow Blues” and “Faded Love” for the crowd.  

Votes for Women!

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. Sunu Kodumthara from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The trio expounds upon the contributions of Oklahoma suffragists such as Aloysius Larch-Miller, Narcissa Owen, and Kate Stafford that ultimately led to adoption of a state constitutional amendment in 1918 and the federal amendment in 1920. They also delve into the antisuffrage work of Alice Robertson, and Kate Barnard’s decision to forgo suffrage work in lieu of her other causes

Retail Therapy

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 develop, enterprising merchants provided goods that were in demand such as salt, lumber, banking services, and food. Later, iconic stores such as Anthony’s, OTASCO, and TG&Y met the needs of the consumer. Our guest on this episode is Ed Threatt Sr.—grandson of Allen Threatt Sr., who opened the only known Black-owned business on Route 66, the Threatt Filling Station, in 1915. The station became a haven for Black travelers on the Mother Road. Today, the Threatt family is working to restore the building and educate travelers on the importance of this historic filling station

Higher and Faster

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 Garriott, and Bill Pogue, the first lunar landing was successful in 1969. Our special guest on the podcast is Gen. Thomas Stafford. Stafford grew up in Weatherford and was a commander on the Gemini IX and Apollo X flights in addition to the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, which is credited for easing tensions between the US and USSR. He also holds the Guinness Book of World Records entry for the highest re-entry speed of any manned space flight, which was achieved during Apollo X.

Cultivating Cultural Tourism in Oklahoma

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 important sites across the state. The lieutenant governor examines the successes Oklahoma has had by playing to its strengths and how the OHS plays a key role in bringing new visitors to the state.