Montrose man learns about family’s painful past during Osage Reign of Terror: ‘This trauma’s ending’

In Houston, Texas (KTRK), Randall Morton has spent most of his life searching for insight into his identity, culture, and heritage. At the age of 6, he learned that his father belonged to the Osage tribe, yet information about his family’s history remained elusive.

Morton highlighted that much of Native American history, including that of the Osages, has been obscured and omitted from mainstream education. The Osage people faced drastic land reductions following the Louisiana Purchase, eventually settling in Osage County, Oklahoma, in 1872. Their discovery of oil on their land in 1897 made them the wealthiest community globally, attracting opportunistic white settlers who sought their fortune at any cost.

During the 1920s, the Osage community experienced a harrowing period known as the “Osage Reign of Terror.” Numerous Osage individuals were murdered under mysterious circumstances, with white perpetrators going unpunished due to systemic injustice.

Morton revealed that his own grandparents fell victim to this violence, murdered by a neighbor over a trivial dispute. The trauma endured by his family, spanning generations, has left deep emotional scars.

Last spring, Morton received closure when he stumbled upon a newspaper clipping detailing his grandparents’ tragic fate. Concurrently, he followed the production of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” a film depicting the Osage Reign of Terror, which received critical acclaim upon its release.

These revelations offered Morton solace and understanding, empowering him to confront his own trauma. He expressed hope that the movie and associated historical events will serve as enduring lessons, fostering awareness of the perils of power, greed, and racism for future generations.

“A hundred years of all this trauma is ending,” Morton remarked, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and learning from this painful chapter in history.