Episode 26: Living with the Dust Bowl

In the midst of the Great Depression, Oklahoma was hit with an intense environmental transformation known today as the Dust Bowl. A series of dust storms caused by risky agricultural practices and severe drought, the Dust Bowl impacted the lives of thousands living in the plains region. However, many questions about daily life in this time period still go unanswered. For example, how did people even keep the dust out of their homes? How were everyday tasks like laundry and food preparation adapted to withstand the intense conditions? In this episode, we’ll explore the overlooked impact of the Dust Bowl by listening to several interview excerpts from the Dust, Drought, and Dreams Gone Dry Oral History Project. Also, Dr. Anna Zeide from the Oklahoma State University Department of History joins us to provide insight on how everyday habits, particularly foodways, changed during this time.