Episodes

Tuesday May 17, 2022
Killing of Umpire Forbidden
Tuesday May 17, 2022
Tuesday May 17, 2022
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. They are joined by Chad Williams, director of Research for the Oklahoma Historical Society and baseball superfan. Chad discusses his love for the game and how baseball lovers can dive into the OHS archives to find first-hand documents and photos about the boys of summer in Oklahoma.

Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
Lawlessness and Law Enforcement in the 1920s and ‘30s
Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
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 Judicial Learning Center and Museum, tells the story of Charles Urschel’s 1933 kidnapping by Machine Gun Kelly.

Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
At War With Corruption
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
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 suppliers in one of the biggest scandals in US history.

Tuesday Feb 15, 2022
Live Episode: Oklahoma’s All-Black Towns
Tuesday Feb 15, 2022
Tuesday Feb 15, 2022
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 conversation.

Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
Battle of the Washita
Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
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 marched out of Camp Supply and initiated a surprise attack on Cheyenne Peace Chief Black Kettle’s village on the Washita River. The battle, also referred to as a massacre, was the opening salvo in the US Army’s five-month campaign to force the Cheyenne into living on reservations.

Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
Oklahoma During World War II
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
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.

Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Oklahoma in the 1950s
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
The post-World War II 1950s in Oklahoma was a coming-of-age era for a state that would celebrate its 50th birthday in 1957. From transportation to civil rights to the arts and sciences, Oklahoma’s advancement accelerated during this pivotal decade. Former Governor George Nigh joins Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn for the entire episode to discuss his recollections of this era and share stories that only he can tell.

Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
The Battle of Honey Springs
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
The Battle of Honey Springs was the largest and most important Civil War battle in Indian Territory. The battle returned control of Indian Territory to Union forces, and is also significant because the majority of the combatants were Native American and Black. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn welcome Adam Lynn, director of the Honey Springs Battlefield historic site, as their special guest to discuss the important events of July 17, 1863.

Friday Sep 24, 2021
A Very OK Podcast + BrainBox LIVE Crossover Event
Friday Sep 24, 2021
Friday Sep 24, 2021
OHS Executive Director Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn of the OHS’s A Very OK Podcast and Dr. Sunu Kodumthara of OH’s BrainBox lead a conversation about growing up in Oklahoma from multiple cultural perspectives—featuring special guests Kelli Brooke Haney and Javier Hernandez. This crossover episode was recorded in front of a live audience.

Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Oklahoma’s Early Aviation History
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Since the inception of the aviation age, Oklahomans have made major contributions to the science of flight. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Blackburn discuss the early days of flight in Oklahoma and the notable Oklahomans such as Wiley Post, James Banning, and the Cessna brothers who left their marks in the history books. They also interview Randy Vierling, a longtime TWA pilot, who tells the story of a harrowing experience he had while piloting an airplane through a storm early in his career.