It’s estimated that from 1910 to 1930 hundreds of Osage tribal members were murdered or died under suspicious circumstances in an organized effort to rob them of their oil money. They cried out for years, pleading for help which never came. Little assistance was offered to the Osage from various authorities as they were a part of the plot against the tribe. After years of systemic murder, the newly-formed FBI stepped in to investigate.

In this new half-hour documentary from OETA, the team from Back In Time presents the story of the Osage in their own words. “With the help of independent producer, Dan Bigbee, we were able to gain access to interviews that are at least 14 years old,” says producer Robert Burch. “Dan actually used to work at OETA, but has been working on this passion project for over a decade. It’s been great to partner with him on this documentary.”

“We’ve really taken our time with this project,” comments Boots Kennedye, producer. “There are so many layers to this story filled with pain—we’ve done our best to capture the full picture of this travesty. I hope folks are able to join us for the virtual screening; it’ll be a great opportunity to learn even more about these events.”

Many may be familiar with the story of the Osage murders due to David Grann’s popular book, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. In fact, the book is being adapted into a movie directed by Martin Scorsese and will star Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio. While the book focuses on a handful of murders and the investigation by the FBI, Osage Murders - The Reign of Terror tells the larger story. Hear from respected tribal elders like: Jim Gray, former principal chief of the Osage Nation; Kurt Kickingbird, lawyer; and Tara Damron, program director for White Hair Museum.

VIRTUAL SCREENING

Back in Time: Osage Murders - The Reign of Terror
Tuesday, January 12 at 7 pm