Abstract:
It is widely accepted that Oklahoma has a largely negative image in the national consciousness. Although Oklahoma is devoid of large, well-known cities with cosmopolitan reputations or awe-inspiring physical landscapes such as snow-capped mountains or beaches that create positive impressions, other states share these qualities, yet Oklahomans are continually stereotyped as poor, uneducated, and generally unprogressive in television shows and moves in a manner worse than the portrayal of residents of most other states that are similar. This paper attempts to gain a greater understanding of Oklahoma's contemporary negative image by examining the following questions: When did Oklahoma first begin to be perceived negatively? Has Oklahoma always suffered from a negative image, or is this a recent phenomenon? What historical events, if any, created Oklahoma's image? To answer these questions, I trace the history of Oklahoma's image through the use of historical literature including articles, editorials, and cartoons in national publications from the late 1800s and the early decades of the 1900s.
