Studying History is not for the faint of heart. It knocks us out of our comfort zone. But maybe that's the point. Good History is a podcast from the Oklahoma State University History Department inspired by Oklahoma native Dr. John Hope Franklin's wisdom that "A good historian is a moralist at heart." We ask historians: why do you study what you study? We ask people: how does knowing more about the past make your life, and our lives, better? And along the way we dig into a paradox: Americans love history—we fight over it bitterly--but many voice skepticism about its value in education. Why? Tune in to "Good History" to join the conversation and learn more about us here: https://cas.okstate.edu/history/
Dreams, Stories, and the Power of Community with Matthew Spellberg
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.
20 Jul 2026
The Past and Future of Storytelling with Sarah Milligan
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.
5 Feb 2026
Keeping it Reel: Michael Johnson on Music Archiving
Join Doug Miller as he sits down with Mike Johnson, archivist and reissue producer at Rhino-Warner Records. From a childhood transistor radio sparking a Beatles obsession to working on iconic projects for The Grateful Dead, Ray Charles, Fleetwood Mac, and Curtis Mayfield, Johnson reflects on his part in preserving music history — as well as bigger questions about what music gets preserved for future generations and what doesn't.
9 Nov 2025
Chimes of History: Steve Jenkins on the Bob Dylan Center
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!
20 Oct 2025
Sanctuary of Sound: Teresa Knox on Preserving Tulsa's Musical History
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.
28 May 2025
Bonus Episode! What Liberal Arts Actually Means, with Nick Romeo
Writer Nick Romeo discusses the meaning of liberal arts, ancient Greek philosophy, economic inequality, and challenges facing journalism with guest host Dr. Greg Kosc in an interview.
8 May 2025
"History is a Lesson in Leadership," with Dr. Jim Hess
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.
28 Apr 2025
On Being a Good Citizen, with Rhys Gay
Rhys Gay has worn many hats: advocate for Oklahoma families, VP for the Butterly 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.”
25 Feb 2025
Cherokee History on Film, with Jennifer Loren and LeeAnn Dreadfulwater
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.
24 Dec 2024
Exploring Indigenous History and Journalism with Allison Herrara
Podcast Summary
Growing up in rural California during the 1970s, Allison Herrara walked a path rich with Indigenous history, where every trail had a story and every step echoed with her Salinan grandmother's wisdom. These formative experiences not only shaped her identity but also fueled her passion for journalism, particularly focused on Indigenous Affairs. Join us for an exploration of California tribes' struggles for federal recognition, examining historical injustices from the Spanish missions to the Gold Rush, and how they reverberate in contemporary Indigenous issues.
Our conversation unfolds into the vibrant tapestry of Allison's life, weaving through adventurous travels across Mexico, Guatemala, and Spain in the early 1990s. With a Hi8 camera and a heart full of stories, she documented family narratives, revealing the intersection of personal history and storytelling. Hear the reflections on her transition from documentary filmmaking to radio journalism, a medium that offered her an immediate and intimate connection with audiences, especially when covering the poignant stories of former felons regaining voting rights in Minneapolis.
As our discussion broadens, Allison shares her experiences reporting on Indigenous affairs in Oklahoma, highlighting the critical role of journalism in amplifying Indigenous voices. We confront the complexities of navigating history, land rights, and sovereignty, alongside the challenges faced by journalists in predominantly white institutions. From the McGirt decision to the Osage Nation's land reclamation, discover the vital importance of understanding historical contexts to inform and enrich present-day narratives, ensuring these crucial stories are told with sensitivity and respect.
13 Nov 2024
In the Western Heritage Museum with Eric Singleton
A specialist in Native American culture and history, Eric Singleton has curated exhibitions on Cherokee ledger art, Brummett Ecohawk in WWII, and the world-famous Spiro Mounds. He has led the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s ethnology department for ten years. Join him in conversation with Professor David D’Andrea for insights into world travels, curatorial careers, NAGPRA and cultural legislation, and more.
15 Oct 2024
We Have to do a Better Job of Owning Our Past
Hannibal Johnson is a Tulsa-based author and public figure committed to bringing the history of African Americans in Oklahoma to wider audiences and to weaving history and social justice together. That work led to appointments to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission and to its world-class history center, Greenwood Rising. That future, though, was not necessarily foreseen when growing up in small-town Arkansas.
9 Sept 2024
How Wide the World Is
Raised in Oklahoma by a single mother, Sarah Kirk--a self-described homebody—liked to stay close but also couldn’t shake the urge to go far. By age 16 she was in Germany all on her own attending German high school. Two years later she was back in Oklahoma studying Europe and medieval studies at OSU. How can we feel fulfilled when we can't stay at home and be away exploring at the same time? Sarah sees studying history as one solution.
9 Aug 2024
Feel Something Deeply
Doug Miller played his first professional gig with his high school band at a ballroom in Iowa. He grew up ready to make-or-break it in the music industry and moved to the Twin Cities—an indie rock capital—to pursue that dream. But the experience ended up turning him into a historian. So what happened?
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 12 / 100
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Quality
10
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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