Resurrecting an unsung hero – Connie Cronley, author 'A Life on Fire'

Welcome to Tulsa Talks presented by Tulsa Regional Chamber. I’m your host Tim Landes. 

Kate Barnard should be a household name in Oklahoma. There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of her. She was the first woman elected to state office before women had the right to vote. In her role as Charities and Corrections Commissioner, she created compulsory education laws, child labor laws and uncovered the abuse of prisoners and mental hospital patients. 

My guest on this episode is author Connie Cronley. She spent the last five decades writing the biography of Kate Barnard titled “A Life on Fire,” which is now available from OU Press. 

At her peak, Kate was the most well-known Oklahoman in America. She traveled the country speaking to large crowds and politicians about the work being done in what many considered the most progressive state in the union. 

Then she learned about the Native American children who were being cheated out of their land allotments by white politicians and oil men. She was on to what was happening on the Osage Reservation before the federal investigators rode into the state. Her fight to help Native Americans cost Kate her job. Her story buried in history. 

I recently found my second grade Oklahoma history workbook from the 100th anniversary of the land run. There’s no mention of Kate. There’s no mention of her in my 4th grade Oklahoma history workbook either. Guessing if I found a copy of my freshmen textbook it’d be the same result. I knew nothing about her until I read Connie’s book in two days. I couldn’t put it down. I’m guessing my blood pressure increased as I read the pages. 

Mental health treatment has been gutted in this state. Public education is continually in a fight with state lawmakers for more funding. Julius Jones awaits his fate in a state prison system that has the second highest imprisonment rate in the country according to the Sentencing Project. This is not a category we should be proud to be a Top 10 state.

The tribes that call Oklahoma home are thriving. The governor has said a recent Supreme Court decision upholding tribal sovereignty is the biggest problem in the state during a pandemic. 

The reason I mention these things is because this is all stuff Kate fought for just over 100 hundred years ago and look where we are. I can’t help but wonder what Kate would say if she was around today? I think she’d look at the political makeup our of government and say she’s not surprised. It’s barely been 100 years, which isn’t that long when you divide it by 4 years at a time. She’d also probably say that we should stand up for what’s right and be ready to fight for it.

I really admire Connie for all her work in putting a spotlight on Kate. Connie is a veteran journalist and writer who contributes a monthly column for us that is always one of my favorite reads in our magazine. She also wrote this month’s feature on new TU President Brad Carson. 

This was the first time we had the chance to sit down and talk to each other, and I really enjoyed getting to learn more about her work in telling Kate’s powerful story.  It’s one that every student and taxpaying citizen in Oklahoma should learn. 

Following my conversation with Connie, a new song from Tulsa rapper Dialtone. More on that later. 

Ok, let’s get this going. 

This is Tulsa Talks with Connie Cronley. 

Track info:
"Activites" by Dialtone and produced by XL Middleton 
NoParkingStudios.com