Synopsis
This compelling collection of twenty essays offers a “people’s history” of Oklahoma―moving beyond familiar myths to uncover overlooked struggles and voices. From labor radicalism and Black resistance to women’s rights and experiments in socialist medicine, these pieces reveal a richer, more complex past shaped by social justice and diverse perspectives. The book’s title itself reflects a student’s reaction to Joyce’s history course, capturing the spirit of curiosity and challenge that runs throughout.
The opening essay, George Milburn’s lively portrait of Oklahoma character, first stirred controversy when it appeared in The Yale Review in 1946―and still resonates today. “Oklahomans are a proud and touchy people,” he observed.
Historian Danney Goble suggests Oklahoma may be more Southern than Western in identity, while vivid essays bring to life figures like Socialist editor Freda Ameringer and Mennonite conscientious objectors during wartime. The New Deal is seen through its impact on Shawnee, showing how national policy shaped everyday life.
An excerpt from Clara Luper’s Behold the Walls recounts the first NAACP sit-in at Katz Drug, including her unforgettable encounter with Mrs. John A. Brown―one of the defining moments of the state’s civil rights movement.
Additional essays explore LGBTQ+ history, Native American experiences, labor organizing, violence against women, and cultural tensions in education.
Provocative, readable, and deeply human, this volume reclaims Oklahoma’s past as a story not just of pioneers, but of protest, resilience, and change.