'Killers of the Flower Moon' traces the murders of Osage families
Oct 23, 2023
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Author David Grann discusses his book 'Killers of the Flower Moon' which recounts the murders of Osage families by white settlers in the 1920s. The story also involves the FBI's first major homicide investigation, revealing a sinister plot to take over oil-rich land in Oklahoma.
The murders of members of the Osage Nation in the 1920s were part of a sinister plot to take over their oil-rich land in Oklahoma.
The investigation into the murders initially faced prejudice and incompetence, but eventually uncovered a deep conspiracy involving systematic killings and wealth manipulation.
Deep dives
The Osage Indian Nation's Wealth and Tragedy
Generations ago, the Osage Indian Nation was forced to move and settled on land rich in oil. In the early 20th century, they became incredibly wealthy. However, members of the Osage Nation started to be killed, and their oil wealth was at stake. The crimes involved marrying into families and a sinister plot to siphon off the wealth.
Investigation and Uncovering a Systematic Murder Campaign
The series of crimes was initially ignored due to prejudice, and those who tried to investigate were killed. Eventually, the Bureau of Investigation, later known as the FBI, got involved but initially bungled the case. An old frontier lawman was brought in to help, and they were able to capture some of the ringleaders. However, further investigation revealed a deeper and darker conspiracy involving systematic murders and the manipulation of wealth.
This week, we're hearing from authors whose works have been adapted to the big screen. In this 2017 interview, NPR's Steve Inskeep asks David Grann about his nonfiction book Killers of the Flower Moon, which recounts how white settlers conspired to kill members of the Osage Nation in the 1920s in order to take over their oil-rich land in Oklahoma. The story – which also involves the FBI's first major homicide investigation – is at the center of Martin Scorsese's latest film.