Image by: Image courtesy Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Plain Terror

From: This Land Press
Series: The Sound of Our Land
Length: 05:21

Oklahoma is considered a conservative state these days. But in the early 1900s, Oklahoma had an active leftist movement. Equally active was the Ku Klux Klan, organizing to squelch the growing power of the socialists and the working class. Here we have a story from Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, about her grandfather's involvement in the socialist party in Piedmont, Oklahoma and as a labor organizer for the Industrial Worker's of the World. Dunbar-Ortiz is a native Oklahoman, author of Red Dirt: Growing Up Okie and a retired history professor from California State University at Hayward. Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: Plain Terror
From: This Land Press

Roxie__age_10_small Oklahoma is considered a conservative state these days. But in the early 1900s, Oklahoma had an active leftist movement. Equally active was the Ku Klux Klan, organizing to squelch the growing power of the socialists and the working class. Here we have a story from Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, about her grandfather's involvement in the socialist party in Piedmont, Oklahoma and as a labor organizer for the Industrial Worker's of the World. Dunbar-Ortiz is a native Oklahoman, author of Red Dirt: Growing Up Okie and a retired history professor from California State University at Hayward.

Also in the The Sound of Our Land series

Caption: Cullen and Sara Bieger outside their home in Norman, Oklahoma. When the tornado hit, Cullen was at The Warren theater in Moore, where he had tickets to see Star Trek into Darkness. , Credit: Sheilah Bright

Portrait of Survivors of the 2013 Moore, Oklahoma Tornado (05:55)
From: This Land Press

On Monday, May 20th, 2013, a tornado tore through Moore, Oklahoma, killing at least 24 people.

A Prayer Life (02:58)
From: This Land Press

Samuel Clifton Folks has lived in Tulsa all his life. Here, he remembers playing little league baseball as a young teenager in the mid-1960s.

Love at the Jamboree (02:51)
From: This Land Press

Three times a week, a tight knit group of senior citizens play old-time country, bluegrass and gospel at the Heavener, Howe and Poteau jamborees in southeastern Oklahoma. A ...

The Perfect Storm (07:11)
From: This Land Press

In this short documentary, folk musician and historian Tom Naples walks us through the dust bowl and tunes us into archival recordings and oral histories of the people who ...

Racing Around the World (03:15)
From: This Land Press

Jack Seehafer spent almost a decade as a professional cyclist before becoming a coach for Team Type 1. Here, Seehafer shares some of the trials and triumphs from his first ...

Growing Up a Poet (02:03)
From: This Land Press

John Brehm's family didn't discuss art or literature or poetry. Searching for his own way in the world, Brehm began writing. Decades later, he is the author of two award ...

The Green Tree Dervish (03:00)
From: This Land Press

For photographer Gaylord Herron, there's "something about trees." He's traveled all over the world photographing different cultures, but he's also found fulfillment in his ...

The Baby in His Lap (04:26)
From: This Land Press

Shantelle Jennings was a child when photographer Larry Clark captured iconic images of her father, Billy Mann, toting guns and shooting drugs for his book, Tulsa. As a result ...

Andrew Gumbel: A Fresh Look at the Oklahoma City Bombing (05:29)
From: This Land Press

Andrew Gumbel, co-author of the book "Oklahoma City: What the Investigation Missed--and Why it Still Matters" (2012, HarperCollins) with Roger Charles, expounds on the ...

Glass not Glitter (02:53)
From: This Land Press

Neighbors of the Murrah Federal building recall the 1995 bombing that altered the life and culture of Oklahoma City. As a precaution to listeners, the following audio ...