"Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI," by David Grann, tells the true story of the murdering of the Osage people in Oklahoma for their oil wealth, often referred to as the "Reign of Terror." It is now estimated that perhaps over a hundred Osage people were killed by white settlers in the early 1900s, most of which were covered up by a web of collaborators and corrupt officials. The book was turned into a movie starring Lily Gladstone, Robert De Niro, and Leonardo DiCaprio, and directed by Martin Scorsese. Both the story and the movie focus on Mollie Burkhart and her family, who were all gradually killed until only she remained, and the people prosecuted for the murders by the newly-created Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). The book also explores many other suspicious deaths and unsolved Osage murders, which suggests that plots to kill the Osage people were widespread.
Weed resident Donna Winger spent her summers with her grandmother, who is part Osage, in Fairfax, Oklahoma. While her grandmother survived the "reign of terror" on the Osage people, not all of her family members did. Inspired by the book, Donna created the exhibit "The Resilient Osage" to share information about the Osage people, history, and culture and about her own family history. She was assisted in creating the exhibit by Anna Grossnickle Hines. Donna has a Master's Degree in Public Health, and has taught elementary school. Since moving to Weed in 2008, Donna has volunteered her time with the Weed Pride Project, Heritage Plaza, and restoring the historic Alvarado Building. Around 2022, Donna's family noticed her struggles with words and she was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. Donna considers the Osage Project to be a wonderful blessing: it has not only kept her mind and spirit fully engaged, but she’s been able to meet and work with amazing people and make life-long friends. As Donna puts it: "You can't beat that!!"
Interested in "Killers of the Flower Moon?" The COS Library has:
Also available are books on Osage history and culture. Books check out for the entire semester!
Stop by the see the exhibit and check out our True Crime book display featuring "Killers of the Flower Moon" and other true crime books. The True Crime display will be up until mid-September. Display titles include:
Books check out for the entire semester!
College of the Siskiyous Library
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Weed, CA 96094
Email: library@siskiyous.edu
Text/Phone: (530) 938-5331
Fax: (530) 938-5226
Zoom: By appointment
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