Oklahoma Books

American Indians In British Art, 1700-1840 by Stephanie Pratt (a tribal member of the Crow Creek Dakota Sioux and Senior Lecturer in the History of Art at the University of Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom) is a unique survey of Native American images painted, drawn and sketched by British artists and reveals an artistic tradition that avoided simplification and stereotype to portray Native peoples in realistic and complex imagery that ranged from depicted them as noble savages to primitive aborigines, but always as active participants in contemporary societies and cultures. Enhanced with a profusion of both color and black/white illustrations, Pratt provides each artistic work in its proper historical context and deftly traces a movement away from abstraction (where Indians were symbols rather than actual people) to a representational art portraying Indians as actors on the colonial stage of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Scholarly, erudite, informed and informative, American Indians In British Art, 1700-1840 is a unique and welcome addition to personal, academic, and community library Native American Studies and Art History reference collections.

This small volume with 111 pages of text contains four essays on the history of the Oklahoma Panhandle. The changing nature of the region's economy throughout the twentieth century is the main theme.

The first essay discusses the unique geography of the region and how it impacted the economic development from 1907 to 1930. Lowitt highlights the agricultural prosperity of the region as well as the possible risks of drought and severe weather.

The second essay narrates the causes and impact of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. He tells of the efforts of the federal government, the agricultural experimental station at Goodwell, and the farmers in introducing soil conservation efforts and the recovery that resulted by 1940.

The third essay tells the story of Optima Dam, first planned in 1936 but only completed in 1978. He discusses how it resulted from the drought and flood prevention efforts of the 1930s but also how economic realities prevented it from being built until 1978. The political efforts of Oklahoma's senators Kerr and Harris feature in this essay.

Finally, Lowitt describes the economic development after World War II, showing how the region depends on the Ogallala Aquifer. Farmland could not be irrigated without producing natural gas to pump the groundwater. Cattle (Swift) and pigs (Seaboard) could not be raised commercially without groundwater. Although the region has diversified its economy, it has come to depend greatly on the aquifer, which may be depleted someday, depending on unknown recharge rates. Lowitt closes the book on the note that no one knows how sustainable the aquifer-based economy is.

The book contains thoughtful analysis and not oral history. He describes how transportation, Oklahoma law, and the climate have affected the Panhandle and the differential development of each county. He has done extensive research in the museums and historical collections of the region as well as at the University of Oklahoma. Perhaps most surprising, Lowitt does not take a doomsday view of the Great Plains, showing that the three Panhandle counties have consistently ranked in the top five in Oklahoma in terms of per capita income. He sees the region as having successfully overcome great hardships and having not just survived but prospered.

Excellent detail on the history of law and lawyers in Oklahoma; full of quotes and anecdotes about the personalities involved and specific court cases. A wonderful read, whether one is a lawyer, aspires to be a lawyer, or just enjoys a good, factual, entertaining book. It has been highly acclaimed by the Oklahoma Bar Association and was featured in its journal on several occassions.

This book is one of the best I have ever read about the history of the Southwest and Northern Mexico. Forbes challenges many of the stereotypes about the Apaches and Navajos using archival documents from the colonial period. For example, he shows that the idea that the Apaches were inherently warlike and "savage" is untrue and misleading. In fact, it was the colonial policy of Spain that drove the Apaches into a raiding lifestyle. This is a great book for anyone interested in the history of the Latin American froniter, the American West or just of history in general. I recommend this book over all others about the Apaches.

I was one of the most comprehensive books of its kind. Well researched and documented. Best of all was the detailed tips on how to get to the more remote sites. Most of the information can be found in various other places but she has one of the best compilations I have seen.
Great Book!

Even though I know all the writers of this book, I'm still NOT biased when I say that Scotts, et al book has changed interpretation dramatically on the Little Bighorn fight. Having worked at the Little Bighorn Battlefield as an interpreter in 1985, I personally know how this interpretation changed, i.e. before the archaeological digs of 1984-85, most of us believed that Custer's men fell mostly to arrows. We now know that the U.S. soldier's were outgunned, thanks to this field work and as reported in the book. Since Scott's final report, headstones on the battlefield marking where "unknown soldier's" fell have been replaced by actual names, e.g. Mitch Bouyer. This reality came to place thanks to the forensic work of Dr. Clyde Snow (his complete report is included in this book). Finally, Scott and his team create a vivid picture of where the Indian warriors moved over the battlefield fighting for their families down the hill and across the river.

The prisoner-of-war confinement of American plains Indians within a Florida military prison is one of the lesser known incidents of 19th century struggle between Native Americans and the expanded United States. Compiled with commentary by Joyce M. Szabo (Professor of Art History, University of New Mexico), "Art From Fort Marion: The Silberman Collection" offers superbly reproduced full color Native American images depicting traditional life events and prison experiences of Cheyenne and Kiowa prisoners of war confined at Fort Marion, Florida, during the 1870s. The 120 color images are drawn from the Silberman Collection and provides vivid depictions through art and photography of the living conditions and survival strategies the Native Americans (taken from the wide-open southern plains of the American West) to their confinement in the humid environs of Florida. A comprehensive, scholarly, analytical, informed and informed presentation, "Art From Fort Marion" showcases a singularly unique visual art form of Native American expression and is very strongly recommended for personal, academic, and community library Native American History and Native American Art reference collections and reading lists.

Years ago, when preparing for my 50-state road trip I'd purchased a load of travel guides to help plan what to see in each state. The guides satisfied me until I stumbled upon the first ART OF STATE book in Iowa and quickly purchased all the other states available. This curious book series made all other travel books pale by comparison. Deceptively small, slim, lightweight and light read, these books pack a punch of meaningful, inspirational information. Beautifully designed and written, they are thoroughly engaging and a joy to read--like finding an ancestor's scrapbook or diary in the attic and reading a fascinating family heritage while peering over images of a buried past. Each author must be a native or a deliberate transplant, for they tell each state's story lovingly, with a deep appreciation of the state--and not just its good features, but the blemishes, too, described evenhandedly. Photographs of architecture, landscapes paintings, crafts and memorabilia complement the words. Each book presents the state's history, climate, landscape, traditions, symbols, recipes, must-see destinations and a statewide calendar of events. I've purchased all the books in the series (20 of the 50 states as of 2007). If your budget won't allow you to buy all 20, at least buy two: one of your home state and one of your adopted state. You'll be amazed at what you discover.

I apologize for raving so much about THE ART OF STATE series, but it was such a find, like discovering a diamond in a sea of glass. I can't help but gush.

Now, about the Oklahoma edition. Each book in the series has a wallpaper design on its inside cover: a background color, unique to the state, dotted with a state motif. I try to guess what the wallpaper will be before opening the book. Sometimes I guess correctly, but not often. Oklahoma's motif is an oil derrick set against a burnt orange background. (I'd expected a cowboy motif since Oklahoma has more cowboys per capita than any other state and a red background because of it's red earth. But I was wrong, again.)

The Oklahoma edition exceeded my high expectations of all the ART OF STATE books. How did the author ever find such remote parcels of history and trivia? For example, the early 19th century English botanist, Thomas Nuttall, nicknamed "Le Fou" (French for "the crazy one") who traveled through Oklahoma in 1819 "rhapsodizing about the plant and animal life." Or, the "Uncivil War," when U.S. soldiers pulled out of Indian Territory to fight the American Civil War, leaving the Indians they had been protecting to fend for themselves. Many joined the Confederates as they were surrounded by Confederate neighbors, and caused a mini-Civil War between the tribes. The battle of Honey Springs in Oklahoma was the first time in American history where whites, blacks, and American Indians fought alongside each other. Not only did I learn more about Oklahoma, the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical, Route 66's beginnings, and the state's famous sons: Woody Guthrie, Count Basie, Ralph Ellison, Gene Autry, and Will Rogers (a Cherokee who joked, "My ancestors didn't come on the Mayflower--they met the boat."), but I learned a great deal about the art, history and the landscape of the state. For example, Oklahoma, a landlocked state "without a single natural lake has more shoreline than the Atlantic and Gulf coast, combined," due to its numerous public works efforts, specifically the dams. And the "empire of grasses," Oklahoma's three distinct types of prairie grasses. I enjoyed the story of the land runs, the oil rushes (and their unique lingo), and the dust-bowl exodus. The wild characters, such as "Alfalfa Bill," a kooky governor who championed alfalfa farms. The Trail of Tears story broke my heart, as did reading about the treatment of American Indians who lived in Indian Territory before it became white man's Oklahoma. When it did become a state, however, its 1907 Constitution was strongly populist "packed with provisions for direct democracy, employee and consumer protection, and corporate regulations"--hailed as "the most radical of state constitutions." It took three days to read it out loud for ratification. For all its uproarious land rushes, oil gushers, cowboy and American Indian tales, art and song, Oklahoma is a a great read. When author Edna Ferber researched the history for her novel Cimarron, she tossed most of it out because the stories were just" too fantastic" to be believed. That's Oklahoma.

Touring the Oklahoma capitol building was a revelation to me. The paintings and sculptures at the capitol are sublime, often breathtaking. Murals, portraits, lunettes, rondelles, sculptures and statues are mesmerizing -- meaningful, stirring, beautifully executed. Wilson Hurley, Enoch Kelly Haney, Mike Wimmer and many other Oklahoma artists have done an outstanding job.

Here now is a handsome book of reproductions of these, with stories of what the art represents, how each artist executed the piece, and how the artist and piece were chosen or commissioned for the capitol by the Oklahoma Arts and Humanities Council.

This is a quality art book and a comprehensive history! I am enjoying my copy immensely.

Spirit World: The Assiniboines believed that the spirits of the dead journeyed toward the east. Jame Larpenteur Long tells the account of his grandfather's journey: "In the lodge where my grandfather lay ill with the disease, two other members of the family were dead and their bodies were left where they died. Many families fled to other parts of the country. Grandfather was so near death that the surrounds did not matter a great deal. He said, `I was very ill, but I noticed that a person looked in and perhaps thought the three of us dead. He secured the doorway, piled objects against it, and closed up the smoke hole.' `Some time after that, I seemed to fall asleep, and the next thing I knew, I was outside, walking toward where the sun rises. I traveled along a narrow path that seemed to be on an upgrade. After going in that direction for some time, I cam to where a man sat with his back to me. When he turned around, I recognized him as a person who had died some time before.' The man said, `Perhaps you want to know where your folks live. I will tell you. There is a large encampment over the hill, and the lodge painted blue belongs to your parents.' When I entered the lodge, I saw my father and mother there. My father was busy with some wood he was shaving. My mother, too, was busy at some task.' With a smile, I said to them: `I had no trouble to find your lodge.' My mother did not seem to hear me, but my father looked up and stared at me without any sign that he recognized me. I became uneasy, and hesitated to take my usual place in their lodge. After a time I went out and looked around from some attempted to talk to them, but each time I was not answered. I finally retraced my steps and knew I was on the right path, because I came back to the place where the man sat. He spoke: `You did not stay long, my friend; perhaps someone has come to take you back.' I do not remember if I made any answer. I hurried back along the trail and arrive at our lodge. The entrance was barred and I said to myself, `How can I go in through the smoke hole, the poles are too close together there.' Then a voice awakened me, it was my sister's. She said: `My brother, you are alive, your eyes are open. She told me how they decided to flee to some other part, as did others, and she had said to them: `For the last time I want to see the body of my brother.' `That was how she found me, and through her I recovered.'

Buffalo Legend: A very large herd of buffaloes crossed the Missouri River at the mouth of the Little Porcupine Creek and were moving north up that creek. The leaders were already so far ahead that they looked about the size of dogs. Across the river the rear ones could not be seen, so many were there in the herd. If the ones in sight had been counted, the number would easily have reached one thousand. The buffaloes had separated into small groups of ten to fourteen, and when I go to them, hunters were already amongst the herd and a chase was on here and there.

A small group of cows and bulls ran out of a coulee and I took after them. Right away I knew the horse was a trained buffalo runner. His ears were continually moving about and watched the group ahead.

In a short time I caught up to them, but I hadn't taken my gun out. I stck the gun under my belt and was carrying it crossways with the stock at my right.

Without warning a bull jump right in front of my horse and the horse being experienced, was out of the way in a flash, but I was pitched of and landed across the hump and behind the horns of the bull. He gave a snort and reared up in the air which threw me, and I landed on my back several steps away. The fall knocked the wind out of me. While I spun about trying to get my breath, a hunter rode up and said, `I saw your misfortune and was afraid the bull would attack you. Here, I have caught your horse.' Sometimes horses were better buffalo hunters than their riders.

Food preparation told by Bad Hawk: `My grandfather told how the men cooked buffalo ribs when they were out on trips. A hole about two feet square and a foot or more in depth was dug. Into that was laid a piece of ribs wrapped in buffalo hide. This was then covered with dirt and fire built over it.

The cooking was timed this way: When the first fire had died down to embers, a fresh pile of fuel was laid on, and when the last fuel was all burned, the meat was considered done. They called this method, `ribs covered and cooked with two fires.'

Lodges: Lodges were made from the tanned hides of mature buffalo cows. Twenty hides made an extra large lodge. Poles are setup and the coverings tied to the pole to be raised. It takes three women to set the covering in place. Men do not help. A tripod establishes the basic structure and additional pines were added. The bottom of the lodge was secured by wood pegs. Assiniboine lodges always face to the South. Ventilation was regulated by tow large flaps on each side of the smoke hole. In the lodge several back rests were kept for special guests. The lodges were decorated with objects made by the women. The edges of the smoke flaps were usually fringed with tassels covered with porcupine quills. Lodges of warriors were painted with pictures that showed the war record of their owners.