Blindfolded by the Klan
It was an hour before dusk when we pulled into Idabel. The late summer heat yellowed the rim of the southern Oklahoma
J. Don Cook
Filter / Sort
The Man in the Box, Revealed
Editor's note: For years, this photo of a KKK funeral has circulated among several photography collections in Tulsa,
Steve Gerkin
Curriculum Counts
Despite its significance as the worst so-called race riot in American history, even some Tulsans remain oblivious to
Hannibal B. Johnson
Dana LeMoine (1960-2011)
“He loved tornadoes,” wife Lynne LeMoine remembers. “When a bad storm was coming, he would be up on the roof with
Shawna Lewis
Pawnee’s WPA Bath House
Located one mile north of the city of Pawnee, Oklahoma on Highway 18, this hand-cut native stone structure was built in
Lee Roy Chapman
Original Okie: Wess Young
Wess Young was only four years old when he survived the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot, but has clear memories of it.
Michael Cooper
The Awareness of Walter White
I grew up in Tulsa, but was raised knowing next to nothing about the Race Riot of 1921. Though I considered myself
Adrian Margaret Brune
The Drexel Building
Located at 319 S. Main, the Drexel Building once housed the local clothiers Renberg's. This location has been etched
Lee Roy Chapman
Done That Coming Soon!
This Land's associate editor Natasha Ball will be bringing you regular writings that take you behind the scenes of some
This Land
Walking the Walk
When we walk–whenever we really walk, in an unhurried, unhassled way–we clear our heads, we get exercise, we
Scott Gregory
Azizeh Jazayeri Tehrani-Hadavi (1924-2011)
“There were two sides to my mother,” Pat Hadavi remembered. “She was a Muslim, and she was a
Shawna Lewis
There Will Be No Philosophers: French Reactions to the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889
The following excerpts were originally published on 22 April 1889 by Le Figaro newspaper in Paris, France. “Today,
This Land
May Issue Packed with Mystery, Heroes and the Unnerving
Just when you thought This Land couldn't pack any more surprises, along comes our May 2011 issue, which is destined to
This Land
Rev. Robert Pickett (1924-2011)
“There was an issue in Alabama where dogs were released on non-violent protesters,” nephew John Dowdell explained.
Shawna Lewis
The Perryman Ranch Buffalo
The Perryman Ranch located in Jenks, Oklahoma has its very own YvnvssvHetke, or white buffalo. Located on Elwood
Lee Roy Chapman
Poetry and the News
POETRY AND THE NEWS by Scott Gregory 1. There’s a long poem by William Carlos Williams (from late in his
Scott Gregory
Charlesetta Walker (1935-2011)
“A lot of black kids are not exposed to folk dancing,” son Charles Walker said. “Especially the poorer
Shawna Lewis
Original Okie: Laurie Keeley
Laurie Keeley calls hers artform "yardistry." She's responsible for the eye-catching landscaping and design work you
Michael Cooper
Pretty Boy Floyd in Tulsa
The following is an excerpt from Michael Wallis' Pretty Boy: The Life and Times of Charles Arthur Floyd which comes out
Michael Wallis
Tulsa’s First Klan Burial
On the front page of the Tulsa World's Dec. 22, 1921, issue, a headline ran with the title "Robed Klansman Honor Dead
Lee Roy Chapman
Ambassador Polygon
When Johnny Polygon tells me that “being from Oklahoma is like having an asshole brother,” he’s not being
Joshua Kline
Letter from Marina Del Ray
I came to Tulsa in 1978 at the age of 22 with my brothers Steve and Rick and nothing but a suitcase. We had been in a
Tim Barraza
Of Spice and Men: A Century of Ike’s
Like a newspaper, a bowl of chili is a stew of unsavory, raw, ragged elements that boil down into a somewhat
This Land
Last Paperboys in Oklahoma Carry the News
At five am, thick bundles litter the front porch of the highway patrol, while all the newspaper boys in South Tulsa
Markham Johnson
Cedar Street: Tulsa’s Proudest Thoroughfare
In the early 1970s, a twenty-two year-old Lebanese immigrant trekked down the sidewalks of Sixth Street from his West
Steve Gerkin
Dry Oklahoma
dry Oklahoma burns from Ponca to Tulsa green tip pushes through stalk fingering down to shit and char lily hood
Grant Matthew Jenkins
Mark Enger (1963-2011)
The brothers were opinionated and brutally honest. The two of them together was sometimes overwhelming. When they
Dan Riffe
Union Busting
The days may be numbered for Tulsa’s Union Public School system. In the wake of recent anti-union sentiment that is
Beau Adams
Stephen and Esther
Esther and Stephen Hill started off as many newlyweds do, with nervousness and hope, but their plans stumbled when
Rebekah Greiman
Pork Bellies and the Future of This Land
Michael Mason has started something big. And it all began with two pork bellies. Several months ago, when This Land
Vincent LoVoi
Who’s Keeping an Eye on Dewey?
Our Mayor Dewey doll is back on the street--and this time someone's looking over his shoulder. He'd better keep that
This Land
Tulsa Race Riot Survey
Did you attend grade school in Oklahoma? If so, we could use your help. We're conducting an upcoming feature on how
This Land
S.E. Hinton’s Staircase Cameo
Located on the northwest southwest corner of Greenwood and (then) Brady Street, this staircase is the spot where an
Lee Roy Chapman
Letter from Nakuru
I originally joined the Peace Corps out of college. They invited me to serve in Somalia, a country I had never heard
Jim Shanor
Tulsey Town’s Oldest Cemetery?
Once located at 2nd Street and Frisco Avenue, this cemetery was established in 1882 and contained the graves of some of
Lee Roy Chapman
Oklahoma Babylon
The room is dark, despite the noonday sun. Thick curtains have been pulled across the windows. Several people are lined
Joel Vandiver
Filth of Any Kind
“That there is hereby created in the City of Tulsa, an office to be known as City Scavenger.” With those words,
Jack Blair
I Have Seen Things
“I have seen dust rise until it would look like a rain cloud but would be nothing but the dust from wild horses
This Land
Massad’s (1950-2011)
For sixty years, everyone from college girls and trophy wives to exotic dancers, cross dressers, and various breeds of
Shawna Lewis
Oklahoma’s First New Media Company
It's official: This Land Press is now Oklahoma's first New Media company, and we've just hired a veritable dream-team
Michael Mason
Pretty Boy Floyd’s Tulsa Home
On February 11, 1932, a Tulsa Police Department armored truck pulled up to the house at 513 East Young Street in Tulsa.
Lee Roy Chapman
Original Okie: “Cajun” Ed Richard
"Cajun" Ed Richard founded the world-famous Cajun restaurant/specialty meat shop Hebert's, where Louisiana natives have
Michael Cooper
Resolution on the Irish Situation
In 1919, at the end of the First World War and two years before the devastation of the race riot at home, Tulsa city
This Land
Okies Smile at Strangers
Part I: New York, 1996 You drop out of college and move to New York, a place you’ve only seen in movies. You
Maya Sloan
Nearly Empty House
A path is worn smooth in the hardwood floor, heading out the front door. The window above the kitchen sink is cracked
Denis McGilvray
The Athens of the West, 1894
Arnel Plumbly can see it before it happens, and he moves out of the way just in time. The surrey’s wheels hit the
Allison Amend
Red Sauce and Pulitzers: The Career of Joe Marquette
“Once I was on Air Force One,” says Joe Marquette. It’s a typical beginning to one of his many anecdotes. The
Joshua Kline
The Future of Paper
The avian flu morphs yet again. (Those flu viruses are so adept at evolving.) The pigs had the flu, as did the
Rivka Galchen
The Gospel of John Lennon
In Search of Lennon's Lost Letter to Oral Roberts In the early 1970s, Oral Roberts’ evangelical TV program was at
Lindsey Neal
Manning in the Making
In September of 2010, This Land published the first feature article about the life of Bradley Manning, the Oklahoman
Denver Nicks
A Sense of Solidarity
Lee Roy Chapman writes: The United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX) in Florence, Colorado, aka
Ted Kaczynski
Original Okie: Mary Beth Babcock
Mary Beth Babcock is ten pounds of Okie enthusiasm in a five-pound bag. She's the entrepreneur behind Dwelling Spaces,
Michael Cooper
Dreamland Theater Marker
David Crosby and Graham Nash have been scheduled to open the Woody Guthrie Festival at the Cain's Ballroom July 13 of
Lee Roy Chapman
A Time for Jazz
I first encountered the history of jazz in the car, on the way to school in Dallas, TX. My dad would listen to the jazz
Steven Schrag
Jean Davis (1932-2011)
“I thought she was the most exotic woman in the world,” Henson remembers. “She was certainly the most exotic
Shawna Lewis
Chad, Jim, and Hunter Rodgers
Pictured left-to-right: Chad, Jim, and Hunter Rodgers are the three men behind Cain's Ballroom. Jim, a local
Michael Cooper
Bartholic’s Boat
Tulsa artist Bob Bartholic was a visionary. One of his visions involved a boat made of concrete that he planned to sail
Lee Roy Chapman
Go Fast, Turn Left
I removed my contacts, washed off all the makeup, unbraided my hair, took off the bandages, slid the fishnets down my
Clara Nipper
The Limits of the Law: Justice Thurgood Marshall in Oklahoma
The words “law” and “justice” fit together like handmaidens. Historically and strategically,
Hannibal B. Johnson
The Rise of Owassoisms
When I discovered Owassoisms–an Owasso-based community blog with a presence on Facebook, and Twitter--I couldn’t
Lindsey Neal
No Phones, No Fools, No Frets: The J.J. Behind J.J.’s Gourmet Burger Café
J.J. Conley lounges against the cushions of a private room at Lucky’s. He studies his glass of Syrah and takes a sip.
Steve Gerkin
Northside House from Larry Clark’s “Tulsa”
A similar exterior shot of this house is featured in Larry Clark's 1971 photobook Tulsa. Located in the Cherokee
Lee Roy Chapman
Curtis Beckwith
Curtis Beckwith is an artist, political activist, and rare record dealer. You can typically spot him on Saturday
Michael Cooper
Landscape
Pools of light illuminate the fine, faint under-painting: ghosts appear like a dirt road that ends in tall
Bill Turley
The Future of Writing is in my Jacket
The following article is excerpted from the book, The Late American Novel: Writers on the Future of Books
Michael Mason
Phil and Miranda
Northern Israel, Christmas Eve, 1988. Phil Kaiser, a Tulsa expatriate and soldier in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces),
Joshua Kline
C. Rabon Martin (1944-2010)
A true Midwestern man, Rabon Martin was a wild hobbyist, a tough man of the law and a sweet admirer of his people and
Shawna Lewis
“Take Me Back to Tulsa” Turns 70
Located at 504 East Archer in Tulsa, a plaque marks the intersection of Archer and Greenwood immortalized in Bob Wills'
Lee Roy Chapman
Letter from Chicago
It’s hell in Chicago when the wind sings a tune, But the worst thing in town is this Chicago Tribune. The Windy
Thomas Conner
Private Manning and the Making of WikiLeaks
The Inside Story of the Oklahoman Behind the Biggest Military Intelligence Leak Ever Editor's note: Since it was
Denver Nicks
You Can Kiss: Larry Clark Debuts “Tulsa: 1968”
The Luhring Augustine gallery in Chelsea is, like all of the galleries around it, minimalist, white and constructed
Denver Nicks
What’s Dewey Doing? Salting Tulsa!
Our Mayor Dewey doll has been extremely busy lately--but recently we captured him doing the kind of work Tulsa
This Land
Barbara Cowles (1928-2011)
“It must have been 1964 or ’65 when we met,” says longtime friend Delores Duke. We both lived on Brookside and
Shawna Lewis
It Snowed in Oklahoma and We Have Photos
We're not sure if you've been watching the weather reports, but a few inches of snow recently dusted Tulsa and the
This Land
Tullahassee Creek Indian Cemetery
The Tullahassee Creek Indian Cemetery is located in Sand Springs at the intersection of Charles Page Boulevard and
Lee Roy Chapman
Issue 6 Arrives This Weekend
UPDATE: Due to the weather (see this post), our pub date has been pushed back until after the 7th. Reader, you are
This Land
Barbara Bartholic (1939-2010)
Barbara Bartholic stands out as one of our city’s most daringly eccentric individuals. In fact, she stands out in
Shawna Lewis
Zeppelin Tours Tulsa
Taken from the top of the Mayo of hotel, this 1929 photo depicts a 600-foot dirigible, the City of Los Angeles, as it
Steve Gerkin
Tom Dittus
Thanks to Tom Dittus, Riverside Drive has never been more bustling with activity--even in the winter. Long-time Tulsa
Michael Cooper
Bat Country
The following originally appeared in Granta 63: Beasts. It is re-printed here with full permission from the
Gordon Grice
Mazeppa: The Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting
Tulsa, April 1970. Oral Roberts University is a glimmering, cornflower-yellow tourist attraction, only seven years
Lindsey Neal
Unicorns in Oklahoma
From Vol. 88, Iss. 1 of the Southwestern Historical Quarterly: In 1719, French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la
This Land
Who Reads This Land? Michael Moore!
Filmmaker and provocateur Michael Moore is pictured here (larger image here) with a copy of This Land at the 2011
This Land
Sundown on the Blue River
White sun hangs just above the falls. You look upstream at cascading water immersed in sound, frozen by its
Ken Hada
Coming Home
On Interstate 35 north of Guthrie, driving through evening shadows I pass a rusting, stale green Chevy bouncing
Ken Hada
Letter from Cairo
I sit with sweat pouring down my back, the windows open to the hazy Cairo sky lined with minarets aglow. An unplanned
Hannah Cooper
Circling Back and Forth
It is the first Saturday evening of November as I turn left into 11th Street. I am going to the movies where I will
Jacqueline Van Fleet
Duane and Mary Blevins
“If I was a gold digger, I think I could have done much better for myself,” Mary Blevins giggled and then added,
Rebekah Greiman
Issue Five Arrives Friday!
It's a TV-themed keeper! This Land, Vol 2, Issue 1 (aka Issue 5), arrives in Tulsa this Friday--and the only way to
This Land
Planet of the Mushrooms
When the tree leaves turn, some folks think of foliage tours. But Oklahoma foodies and chefs look earthward for the
Steve Gerkin
Westward Whoa: Gay Cowpokes Saddle Up to Teach an Old Sport New Tricks
I’m sitting in the stands at the Sooner State Stampede amidst the smell of grain-fed cow manure and the clink-clank
Sheilah Bright
Original Okie: Ren Barger
Ren Barger stands in what would be a graveyard of bicycle parts to many--but not to her. Barger finds herself in all of
Michael Cooper
Letter from New York
My Oklahoma heritage has been garnering a lot of attention since Oklahomans voted to ban Sharia law. The attention has
Carol Elk
A Letter to Zach Harrington
Editor’s note: On September 28, 2010, Zach Harrington, 19 and a graduate of Norman North High School, attended a
Stephen Brower
Asylum
I wrote this all down to keep myself alive. For six days and five nights, I was a mental patient in total
Jennie Lloyd
Give the Gift of This Land!
No, your mother doesn't need another bottle of perfume. Your son doesn't want any more electronics clogging up his
This Land
Ralph Bendel Jr.
As Ralph Bendel gave me a tour of the gardens at the Philbrook Museum of Art, I came to see the space with a new set of
Michael Cooper
Handwritten Letter 1934 (a found poem)
Tulsa Okla. 10th April Mr. Henry Ford Detroit, Mich. Dear Sir. --- While I still have got breath in my
Scott Gregory
Outlaws of the Library
I spend my days surrounded by books. A glorious, beautiful, maddening riot of books--hundreds of thousands of them at
Laura Raphael
Matt and Ashley Shannon
"She was that white unicorn for me," Matt Shannon recounts the chase that was Ashley. The two met while working at
Rebekah Greiman