What does it take to fall in love with a place that isn't even yours — and then dedicate your life to making sure everyone else loves it too? That's exactly what happened to journalist, historian, filmmaker, and storyteller Deb Goodrich. From covering crime courts in the Blue Ridge Mountains at age 21, to living inside a Topeka cemetery, to championing the forgotten legacy of America's first vice president of color, Deb has spent decades proving that Kansas history is anything but boring. And somehow, she made drinking water funny in the process.

Highlights

Deb Goodrich was inspired to become a journalist by watching Lois Lane on Superman at age four
She began writing for her local paper in Stuart, Virginia at age 15 and worked across radio, TV, newspaper, and magazine
Deb became a history major at Washburn University after a political science professor told her that's what she was — she had no idea
She lived as historian-in-residence inside a historic home at Topeka Cemetery, where she first learned about Charles Curtis
Charles Curtis was Vice President of the United States under Herbert Hoover (1929–1933), enrolled in the Kaw tribe, and is the first person of color to serve as VP — a story most Kansans don't know
Deb is working on a book, From the Reservation to Washington, about Charles Curtis, as well as a screenplay
She's collaborated extensively with filmmaker Ken Spurgeon, including on Touched by Fire (Bleeding Kansas) and The Moccasin Speaks (currently on PBS)
Her upcoming film Under the Painted Sky tells the story of the German Family Massacre in Western Kansas
She serves as Garvey Texas Foundation Historian-in-Residence at the Fort Wallace Museum in Oakley
Deb's next book idea: Killers I Have Known
Kansas's biggest export, according to Deb, is talent — and that needs to change
Gus introduces a segment called "Less Fun With Flags," analyzing the Kansas state flag against the five rules of good flag design from the North American Vexicological Association
Kansas scored 3.01 out of 10 (a D-minus), ranking 69th out of 72 US state and Canadian provincial flags
The Wichita city flag scored 8.41 out of 10 in 2004, ranking 6th best among 150 American cities — proof Kansans can do better

Chapters

0:00 – Australia Pin Giveaway

2:23 – Podcast Intro / Meet Deb Goodrich

3:28 – Meet Deb Goodrich

6:00 – Journalism Origins: Lois Lane

7:35 – History Bug: Cemetery Lessons

9:34 – The Charlie Curtis Story

12:26 – Topeka Cemetery Adventures

17:29 – Film Work With Ken Spurgeon

21:11 – Fort Wallace and Many Hats

26:52 – The Oakley / Annie Oakley Myth

28:33 – How Deb Got to Kansas

28:45 – Mayberry Roots

29:29 – Topeka and Washburn

30:19 – Media Ethics Wake-Up

31:09 – Switching to History

32:29 – Court Reporting Lessons

35:21 – Journalism Meets Film

37:10 – Kansas Pride Problem

40:20 – Fort Wallace Plug

42:24 – Post-Interview Wrap

43:45 – Less Fun With Flags

45:33 – The Five Rules of Good Flag Design

47:02 – Kansas Flag Fails

52:38 – Wichita Flag Wins

55:10 – Redesign Ideas and Outro

Resources

From the Reservation to Washington by Deb Goodrich (book on Charles Curtis) — available on Amazon
The Moccasin Speaks — documentary on the German Family Massacre, currently airing on PBS
Under the Painted Sky — upcoming film by Ken Spurgeon and Deb Goodrich
Touched by Fire — film about Bleeding Kansas by Ken Spurgeon
Bloody Dawn by Tom Goodrich — book on the Lawrence Massacre
Fort Wallace Museum — Oakley, Kansas; 2025 theme: "From Wallace to the Little Big Horn" https://ftwallace.com/

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

Amplifying Kansas History with Deb Goodrich | Kansas Chronicles