UCO to Host ‘Ghosts of Crook County’ Author, Feb. 24
Feb. 18, 2026
The University of Central Oklahoma’s College of Liberal Arts will host a book reading and discussion with Russell Cobb, Ph.D., author, media producer and instructor, as part of the Making Meaning in the American West Lecture Series from 12:30-1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 24, in the Liberal Arts building, Lecture Hall, on Central’s campus.
The event will feature Cobb’s 2024 book, “Ghosts of Crook County: An Oil Fortune, a Phantom Child and the Fight for Indigenous Land,” which examines oil wealth, legal corruption and Indigenous land rights in early 20th-century Oklahoma.
Cobb will be joined by Apollonia Piña, who contributed research to the book. Together, they will discuss the historical context behind the story and its relevance to contemporary conversations about Indigenous land, identity and justice.
“Cobb’s book uncovers a little-known history behind Oklahoma’s oil boom, including accounts of fraud, land theft and murder that challenge conventional narratives about the state’s development,” said Natalie Panther, Ph.D., professor of history and director of Indigenous studies at UCO.
“It serves as a compelling example of how historical research illuminates contemporary challenges, as questions of land and tribal sovereignty continue to affect Native communities in Oklahoma.”
Cobb, a fourth-generation Oklahoman, is an associate professor of cultural studies at the University of Alberta. His nonfiction writing has appeared in Slate, NPR and The New York Times. He is also the author of “The Great Oklahoma Swindle” and the host of the podcast and radio show “History X,” which highlights lesser-known historical stories. His work also informed the 2018 Netflix film “Come Sunday,” based on his reporting on the podcast "This American Life."
The event is free and open to the public, and copies of “Ghosts of Crook County” will be available for purchase.
Cobb’s visit marks the third installment of UCO’s Making Meaning in the American West Lecture Series, which features guest speakers whose work explores the American West, Oklahoma history and Indigenous culture. The next event will feature Paul Andrew Hutton, Ph.D., discussing his book “The Undiscovered Country” from 2-3 p.m., Monday, April 13, in the Nigh University Center, Constitution Hall.
For more information about this event or the lecture series at UCO, contact Patti Loughlin, Ph.D., professor of history and geography, at ploughlin@uco.edu or Panther at npanther@uco.edu.
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Cutline: The University of Central Oklahoma’s College of Liberal Arts will host a book reading and discussion with Russell Cobb, Ph.D., author, media producer and instructor, as part of the Making Meaning in the American West Lecture Series from 12:30-1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 24, in the Liberal Arts building, Lecture Hall, on Central’s campus. The event will feature Cobb’s 2024 book, “Ghosts of Crook County: An Oil Fortune, a Phantom Child and the Fight for Indigenous Land.”
