State Historical Society of Iowa

Interview with Flora Robertson about Dust Storms in Oklahoma, August 5, 1940

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, Robertson, Flora, "Interview about dust storms in Oklahoma," 5 August 1940

Description 

This interview with Flora Robertson was conducted by ethnographers Charles L. Todd and Robert Sonkin. Robertson talks about the drought, grasshoppers and dust storms she experienced in Oklahoma. She also recites her poem about migrating from Oklahoma to California. 

Transcript of Flora Robertson's Interview about Oklahoma Dust Storms

Source-Dependent Questions

  • What do you think was the hardest part of Flora Robertson’s life? What evidence do you have to support your answer?
  • After listening to Flora, how would you describe her outlook?
  • Compare Flora's poem to Imogene Chapin's. How did both women deal with the Dust Bowl? Why do you think both women wrote multiple poems to express their feelings?

Citation Information 

Robertson, Flora, "Interview about dust storms in Oklahoma," 5 August 1940. Courtesy of Library of Congress