Good History

Can stories change history? Join Kallie Kosc as she sits down with Matthew Spellberg in our series on the history and power of storytelling. Prof. Spellberg is Dean of Faculty at Outer Coast and a scholar of the history of dreams, the imagination, and Tlingit oral literature. This wide-ranging discussion covers the importance of dreams in challenging the historical status quo, the use of storytelling as pedagogy, the power of interdependence, and how one book can change a life.

What is the purpose of storytelling? Join Kallie Kosc as she sits down with Sarah Milligan, the Hyle Family Endowed Professor and Head of the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program at Oklahoma State University. In this episode, we explore what can be learned from the study of folklore, the transformative nature of storytelling, what is lost when certain stories are suppressed, best practices in oral history, and the new opportunities and challenges posed by AI technologies on the future of story collection and storytelling.

In this second episode of Good History's fall 2025 special series on music and history, OSU History professor Doug Miller speaks with Steve Jenkins, Senior Director of the Bob Dylan Center, about music as a historical medium and the work of curating Bob Dylan’s archive in Tulsa. From a childhood in Los Angeles filled with the Beatles and Bob Dylan to teenage punk-club discoveries to a professional career creating exhibitions about Dylan's social and political impact, Jenkins explores how music makes history. Tune in!

In this episode of Good History, OSU History professor Doug Miller speaks with entrepreneur and preservationist Teresa Knox about music, memory, and place. From her roots in West Tulsa to owning Leon Russell’s famed Church Studio, Knox shares how community pride, creative labor, and the Tulsa Sound shape her mission to preserve Oklahoma unique history for future generations.

In spring 2025, the OSU Department of History was lucky to host the writer Nick Romeo, who visited campus to speak about the history and future of capitalism. Those themes are also the subject of his recent book, The Alternative: How to Build a Just Economy. Join guest host Dr. Greg Kosc for a wide-ranging conversation with Romeo about everything from ancient Greek philosophy and Virginia Woolf to economic inequality and the current challenges facing both journalism and higher education

Dr. Jim Hess is the president of Oklahoma State University and a seasoned leader with over forty years of experience in healthcare and higher education. He is also an enthusiast of the study of history and a champion of the land-grant mission. To quote President Hess: “Of all the things you could do in life, working for a land-grant university, it’s like a moral calling.” Join us for a wide-ranging conversation with OSU's 20th president about leadership of a land-grant institution, the study of history, and the study of history as a lesson in leadership.

Rhys Gay has worn many hats: advocate for Oklahoma families, VP for the Butterfly Network, Pistol Pete (OSU’s cowboy mascot, for which Rhys literally did wear a huge hat), and OSU history major. Join us for a conversation about how historical thinking gained at OSU shaped Rhys journey into the US healthcare industry, community leadership, and personal ethics. To quote from the interview: “A history degree is actually is just a key to being a good human and a good citizen.”

Jennifer Loren and LeeAnn Dreadfulwater are the force behind the Cherokee Nation’s film office, Cherokee Film, including the Emmy-winning docuseries, Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People. Their work is creative and critical, and fundamentally historical. “The stories that we’re telling now are archival. Nobody will ever be able to say, ‘we don’t know,’ because we’re doing this.” Join us for a conversation about filmmaking, narrative sovereignty, and creating a historical archive on film.

Growing up Indigenous in California shaped Allison Herrera’s identity, fueling her passion for journalism, particularly on Indigenous Affairs. Join us for a discussion about Allison’s deep family ties, her work in documentary filmmaking, and the impacts of her investigative reporting in the Midwest and Southern Plains, including Oklahoma.