After the US declared war on Spain in 1898, Secretary of War Russell Alger organized three volunteer cavalry regiments “to be composed exclusively of frontiersmen possessing special qualifications of horsemen and marksmen...” The First US Volunteer Cavalry regiment came to be known as the Rough Riders. Led by Colonel Leonard Wood and Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, the Rough Riders played an important role in the American victories against the Spanish in Cuba. Residents of Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory volunteered in droves and, through their actions in battle, earned the respect of a future US president. In this latest episode of A Very OK Podcast, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn delve into the stories of the Spanish-American War and the men who fought in it. Their guest is Dr. Denise Neil, executive director of the Oklahoma National Guard Museum. 

November 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Oklahoma History Center. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn explore the political twists and turns in the eight-year journey to complete the Oklahoma Historical Society’s flagship building across from the State Capitol. They also discuss the people along the way who helped the dream become a reality. Their guest is Don Beck, award-winning designer of the Oklahoma History Center.

Having dominated the political landscape since statehood, the Democratic Party in Oklahoma was upended by a Republican landslide in 1920. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn examine the conditions that led to the changing of the guard including a tepid response to the League of Nations proposal from President Wilson, the economy after World War I, and the first national election women for women to participate. Their guest is Dr. Sunu Kodumthara, history professor at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Have you ever stopped to think about the history behind the names of rivers, streets, towns, and even state parks in Oklahoma? In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn take listeners on a journey to uncover some of the interesting and unusual stories behind places you may know or may have never heard of in the state. Their guests are Nicole Harvey, director of the Oklahoma History Center Museum, and Chantry Banks, director of museums and historic sites for the OHS.

From the earliest days of Indian Territory through the 1950s, Oklahoma had strict laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol, but they were usually lightly enforced. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Matthew Pearce trace Oklahoma’s history with alcohol regulation and the social and political forces that shaped the state’s relationship with booze. Their guest is Congresswoman Stephanie Bice, who authored new laws which modernized alcohol policies during her tenure in the state senate.

In 1833, Congress authorized a new regiment in the Army that would combine the skills of Regular Army soldiers with the frontier savvy of the Rangers. The First Dragoon Regiment was tasked with being the first U.S. envoy to make contact with the Plains Indian tribes to negotiate for peace. The 500-person strong Dragoon unit set out in June 1834 to fulfill their mission, but their journey was fraught with lack of water, sickness, and death. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the hardships the Dragoons endured to establish relations with the Comanches, Wichitas, and Kiowas. Their guest is Correy Twilley, director of the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Training Support Facility at Fort Sill.

In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the origins of the Seminole Nation in Florida, how the Seminole Wars with the United States starting in 1817 led to their forcible removal to Indian Territory, and how the Civil War reduced the size of their reservation by over 1.7 million acres. They also delve into the impact of the discovery of the Greater Seminole Oilfield in 1923. Their guest is Jake Tiger, band chief of the Thomas Palmer Band and employee of the Seminole Nation's tribal preservation office. 

Oklahoma's first state flag was a white star on a red field designed by Ruth Clement. The flag never gained favor and by the 1920s red flags held a negative connotation due to the nationwide Red Scare. In 1924, the Daughters of the American Revolution held a contest to design a new state flag and Louise Fluke's winning entry was adopted on April 2, 1925. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the history of the Oklahoma state flag against the backdrop of historic events happening in Oklahoma during the 1920s. Their guest is OHS state historian, Dr. Matthew Pearce. 

From the earliest days after the 1889 Land Run to the modern era, leaders in Oklahoma City have prioritized the sequestration of green space for recreation and rest. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the push to create Oklahoma City's parks by people such as Daniel Stiles, G.G. "Gristmill" Jones, and Anton Classen. They also talk about how parks evolved from areas of passive activity to recreation centers for sports and games. Their guest is Brian Dougherty, former associate professor and department head at the John E. Kirkpatrick Horticulture Center. 

One of Oklahoma’s first members of Congress, Dick T. Morgan, was a man of faith with a heart geared toward helping his fellow citizens, first in his native state of Indiana and later in Oklahoma. Through his law practice, he helped people navigate the complexities of land claims in the territorial era while planting churches and establishing Sunday schools. During his time in Congress, he advocated for business regulation, protection of bank deposits, and for farmers to have access to credit. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss Congressman Morgan’s life along with Morgan’s great-grandson, David Morgan, and Michael Hightower, author of “Justice For All: Dick T. Morgan, Frontier Lawyer and Common Man’s Congressman.”