Caroline Jones, Reference Archivist
Works Cited is a series showcasing publications and other products of research where the creator used collections housed at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). We trace citations and pull sources from the stacks for a look at the original. Explore publications with a TSLAC connection by visiting Titles that cite TSLAC Collections under Newly Added Titles in our library catalog.
The movie Killers of the Flower Moon, based on the book, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann, was nominated in multiple categories, including Best Picture, at this year’s Academy Awards. The work tells the story of the “Reign of Terror” against the Osage in 1920s Oklahoma and its lasting effect. The author conducted research in libraries and archives to find information and develop the story of this episode in American history. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission is named among the many “Archival and Unpublished Sources” listed in the back pages of his book.
Unlike the film, the publication focuses more on Tom White, the agent sent to investigate the situation in Oklahoma. Given that White was a former Texas Ranger, Grann’s research included TSLAC archival records from the the Texas Adjutant General Department, a rich resource in ranger history. In his notes section, Grann cites two archival documents at TSLAC:
148 “proved an excellent”: Adjutant General to Tom Ross, Feb. 10, 1909
149 “One wagon sheet”: Adjutant General to J. D. Fortenberry, Aug. 1, 1918
What exactly did the Adjutant General write to Tom Ross and J.D. Fortenberry? I conducted a little research of my own to find out.
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