Voices of Oklahoma

Voices of Oklahoma
  • 4.8 (29)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Voices of Oklahoma

Voices of Oklahoma.com is dedicated to the preservation of the oral history of Oklahoma. Voices and stories of famous Oklahomans and ordinary citizens are captured forever in their own words. Oil and gas, ranching, politics, education and more are all visited in these far-ranging interviews. Students researching any of these areas can listen to first-person accounts of the way life was and draw from knowledge that may guide and shape their future. In addition to students, any visitor will feel close to history as they listen to these personal reflections.

  1. OCT 1

    Joe Carter

    Joseph Henry Carter has reported for United Press International in Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and Dallas, for Sapulpa and Honolulu newspapers, and for the Oklahoma Journal. He was an aide to congressmen and to Presidents Johnson and Carter, and was director of communications for the Democratic party. Carter also was press secretary to Gov. David Hall. After leaving his post as vice president for public affairs at Cameron University, he became director of the Will Rogers Memorial. Among his many books is Never Met a Man I Didn’t Like: The Life and Writings of Will Rogers. Joe is one of the last surviving members of the press who can speak firsthand of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22nd, 1963. Joe was a reporter for United Press International when he was in the press bus five cars behind the presidential limousine and heard the three shots aimed at the president. He has received many honors, including induction into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.

    1h 38m

  2. SEP 20

    Steve Stephenson

    Francis W. “Steve” Stephenson was the founder of Steve’s Sundry Books and Magazines in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which he opened in November of 1947 at 12th and Harvard. Steve shared part of a building with Ernest Moody of Moody’s Jewelry. He met his wife Hazel while earning a marketing degree from Oklahoma A&M now known as Oklahoma State University. After graduation he went to work for a variety store known as S.H. Cress. After serving in the Navy as a recruiter during WWII, he returned to Tulsa and eventually opened Steve’s Sundry, which was a complete drug store without the pharmacy. In the early days of the store, Steve sold boat motors, lawn mowers, fishing tackle, and became the first dealer in Oklahoma to sell Zebco reels. It was in 1958 that Steve moved the store to its present location at 26th and Harvard. Steve became known for promoting local authors hosting around 100 book signings a year, often for first-time authors. While big chain bookstores have come and gone, this small, independent bookstore remains open largely due to the personal attention given by Steve and now his daughter-in-law Joanie Stephenson. Steve was an avid tennis player, winning the over 70 and over 80 tennis championships in the National Senior Olympics. This interview was conducted in 2009 when Steve was 91. He had a tennis match scheduled for that afternoon. He was 93 when he died on Tuesday, November 22, 2011.

    35 min

  3. SEP 4

    John Bumgarner

    The Bumgarner family has deep roots in Tulsa that began in 1903 when John’s grandfather, A.A.Bumgarner, came to Tulsa and established a grocery store at 15 East 2nd Street. A.A. was successful in business and established a family tradition of community service through his work as a board member for Tulsa Public Schools. The cornerstone of the old Central High School building at 6th & Cincinnati bears his name as chairman of the building committee. In 1987, John Bumgarner was a senior executive with the Williams Companies when he successfully acquired the 320 South Boston and Kennedy buildings thus joining his grandfather in connecting the Bumgarner name to historically significant properties of Tulsa’s oil boom era. His ownership of 320 and Kennedy opened an unexpected opportunity in 2011 when John and Chris submitted a winning bid for ownership of the Mid-Continent Tower in a competitive, court-administered auction with several bidders. John talks about his family history, his days with the Getty and Skelly oil companies, the Williams Companies, and how his career led to the ownership of iconic downtown Tulsa properties on the Voices of Oklahoma podcast and website VoicesOfOklahoma.com.

    1h 49m

  4. AUG 29

    Jeanne Eason Phillips

    Jeanne Eason Phillips was born August 26, 1924, in Etna, Oklahoma, but spent her early childhood years in Slick, Oklahoma, growing up with her seven brothers. While Jeanne was still quite young, her parents moved the family near Sapulpa where they enjoyed the conveniences of electricity and modern plumbing. Eventually they settled in a segregated Tulsa where Jeanne attended Carver Elementary and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School. She recalls her family shopping in downtown Tulsa where they could buy clothes, but were unable to try on garments before the purchase. Black people were not allowed to dine at lunch counters nor could they have ice cream at soda fountains. Jeanne went on to attend Langston University where she met and married Garland Eason. The couple supported their four young children and still managed to get their college degrees. Their daughter, Judy Eason McIntyre, served ten years in Oklahoma’s legislature. Even though they endured the pain of racism, Jeanne and Judy tell a very upbeat story of making Oklahoma a better place to live.

    1h 11m

  5. AUG 20

    Jim Stovall

    Jim Stovall is an American writer best known for his bestselling novel The Ultimate Gift. The book was made into the movie The Ultimate Gift, distributed by 20th Century Fox. Stovall is blind and is an advocate for people with blindness. He works to make television and movies accessible to the blind as President of the Narrative Television Network, an organization that has received various award recognitions, including an Emmy award, a Media Access Award, and an International Film and Video Award. Jim was chosen as the International Humanitarian of the Year, joining Jimmy Carter, Nancy Reagan, and Mother Teresa as recipients of this honor. He has also received an Honorary Doctor of Law from ORU for his work with disabled people. In the book Forbes Great Success Stories: Twelve Tales of Victory Wrested from Defeat by Alan Farnham, Malcolm Stevenson "Steve" Forbes Jr., president and CEO of Forbes magazine, said, "Jim Stovall is one of the most extraordinary men of our era." As you listen to Jim’s oral history, you will hear him talk about his blindness which began when he was 17, his walk to the mailbox, and the idea for the Narrative Television Network. Listen to this fascinating story on the podcast and website of Voices of Oklahoma.

    1h 35m

  6. AUG 12

    Charles Francis Colcord - Oklahoma Leaders

    Charles Francis Colcord was a notable figure of the Old West—a cattle rancher, U.S. Marshal, chief of police, businessman, and pioneer. The community of Colcord, Oklahoma, bears his name. He was also the grandfather of Tulsa philanthropist Walt Helmrich. During the Oklahoma boom of the 1890s, Colcord served as Oklahoma City's first sheriff and as Chief of Police for two years. Later, he spent five years as a deputy U.S. Marshal, striving to bring order to a lawless region. Colcord played a key role in apprehending notorious outlaws like Bill “Tulsa Jack” Blake, the Dalton Gang, and Richard “Little Dick” West, even overseeing the hanging of five Dalton Gang members. This special series revives the historic book Oklahoma Leaders: Biographical Sketches of the Foremost Living Men of Oklahoma, sharing the stories of these influential figures. Narrated, transcribed, and freely available on our website and podcast platforms, the wisdom and legacies of these transformative leaders will continue to educate and inspire future generations.

    28 min

  7. AUG 5

    Jim Tygart

    Jim Tygart was a World War II veteran who drove a jeep during the D-Day invasion and other campaigns before being wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. The D-Day invasion launched on June 6, 1944. On the next day, Tygart went ashore at Omaha Beach, Normandy. It was in Belgium, after the start of the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, that he was wounded.  The explosion, which destroyed his jeep, knocked him to the ground and left him with a serious leg wound.  Tygart was awarded the Purple Heart and went on to a career as an aircraft instrument mechanic with Douglas Aircraft and later American Airlines.  He was presented the French Legion of Merit medal by the French Consulate.Jim was 102 when he died May 24, 2022. As you listen to Jim tell his story you will feel close to the battlefields he experienced, heard on the podcast and oral history website VoicesOfOklahoma.com.

    56 min

  8. AUG 1

    Joe McGraw

    As an industrious young man, Joe McGraw worked at Kewanee Oil Company during the day and attended the TU College of Law at night to earn his degree. He added duties as the TU Law librarian after his night classes for his last two years of law school, demonstrating the determination and strong work ethic that would lead to his tremendous career achievements in Tulsa’s real estate sector. McGraw graduated from law school and went to work for a bank briefly before entering the real estate business, where he discovered his true calling. He founded McGraw Breckenridge Company Realtors in 1965, which merged with another company in 1986 to create McGraw Davisson Stewart before establishing McGraw Realtors and McGraw Commercial Properties. In addition to his real estate enterprises, Joe McGraw worked for his fellow Oklahomans by serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives (1964-66) and the Oklahoma State Senate (1966-1972). His sense of civic duty also led to his service as a Director of RELO, The International Relocation Network, based in Chicago, Illinois, and on the TU College of Law Advisory Board.

    1h 21m
See All (173)

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
29 Ratings

About

Voices of Oklahoma.com is dedicated to the preservation of the oral history of Oklahoma. Voices and stories of famous Oklahomans and ordinary citizens are captured forever in their own words. Oil and gas, ranching, politics, education and more are all visited in these far-ranging interviews. Students researching any of these areas can listen to first-person accounts of the way life was and draw from knowledge that may guide and shape their future. In addition to students, any visitor will feel close to history as they listen to these personal reflections.

Information

  • Creator
    Voices of Oklahoma
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2024
  • Episodes
    173
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 Voices of Oklahoma
  • Show Website
    Voices of Oklahoma

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