Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

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Warren It's a well documented narrative (a history) of several issues. The Osage being forced to live in a region that later was discovered to be rich in oil…moreIt's a well documented narrative (a history) of several issues. The Osage being forced to live in a region that later was discovered to be rich in oil. How the U.S. government and local government agencies and individuals took advantage by manipulating the "laws", creating polices and murders to control and steal the oil money. The corrupted and or incompetent investigations and how an honest law enforcement investigation was launched by a newly formed and problematic FBI. (less)
Marji Morris If you don't want to buy the hardcover book, go to your library and borrow it there. You'll want to see the photos, map, etc., I think. I don't know i…moreIf you don't want to buy the hardcover book, go to your library and borrow it there. You'll want to see the photos, map, etc., I think. I don't know if you will want to reread the book or not, but you'll certainly think about it for a long time after reading.(less)
Susan The last chapter confirms that the brothers / doctors / coroners - who performed Anna's autopsy but couldn't locate the bullet - were most certainly s…moreThe last chapter confirms that the brothers / doctors / coroners - who performed Anna's autopsy but couldn't locate the bullet - were most certainly significant players in the defrauding plans.
Another aspect of the final chapter - in fact, the last several - is that the murders of the Osage went far beyond what the FBI thought in the 1920s.
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Judy Cummings This beautifully poetic reference is made on page one of the book and also on page 254. The reference is to the month of May when there is a very larg…moreThis beautifully poetic reference is made on page one of the book and also on page 254. The reference is to the month of May when there is a very large moon and larger prairie plants ( such as the spiderwort and black-eyed Susans) begin to overtake and "creep over" the confetti like tiny flowers, like Johnny jump-ups and bluets. These smaller flowers are "killed" or begin to fade. The poetic allusion refers to the "beginning" of the Reign of Terror when what was then perceived as the first Osage victim, a woman age 34 years, was murdered ( Anna Brown) . In 2009, an Osage poet, Elise Paschen, published a poem referencing the death of Anna as seen through the eyes of her sister, Mollie. This poem again ends with a reference to the Killer of the Flowers Moon. I saw the reference symbolically as the delicate smaller flowers representing of the Osage being "crept over" insidiously by the white guardians who overshadow them, stealing the Osage money that was paid as a "headright" resulting from the discovery of oil on their reservation land. (less)
Brenda I am horrified at the amount of significant Oklahoma history that is NOT taught in history classes. After reading this book several times, I searched …moreI am horrified at the amount of significant Oklahoma history that is NOT taught in history classes. After reading this book several times, I searched through the books in my school's library trying to find ANY information about this murderous rampage involving the Osage people. I found none. None. I learned about the "Five Civilized Tribes," but other Native American groups were virtually ignored. I learned about the Dawes Commission and enumeration from genealogy work but not a word in my Oklahoma history class. (less)

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