Before You Watch ‘The Lowdown,’ Get To Know The Real Lee

Brilliance comes in many forms and there are at least as many ways to honor it. Sterlin Harjo, our longstanding colleague at This Land Press and good friend to our ongoing efforts here, has introduced a character in his television series The Lowdown who was inspired by another former This Land colleague, Lee Roy Chapman. The fictional character, played by Ethan Hawke, is named Lee Raybon, and he writes for the also-fictional magazine Heartland Press. 

Sterlin honors Lee Roy Chapman’s incredible work. We embrace this and want to echo Sterlin’s tribute by republishing a selection of Lee’s best stories for This Land. 

Lee uncovered historical truths that many people in Tulsa would prefer to have kept buried. Most notably, Lee’s September 2011 This Land story, “The Nightmare Of Dreamland,” rewrote the legacy of Tate Brady, a city founder who played a role in the destruction of Greenwood during the Tulsa Race Massacre and held membership in the Ku Klux Klan. Were it not for Lee’s talents, a Klansman’s name would still be emblazoned across the Tulsa Arts District today. 

Hopefully, these archival stories will help you appreciate Lee’s talent for connecting the abuses of the past to the injustices of the present. The Pickup editor-in-chief, Matt Carney, has curated the selection and will add some comments as to why we believe these stories deserve your attention.  

Let us know what you think. Our archives are deep.  

And to that point, a reminder why I published This Land, and now The Pickup, as well as other This Land Press film, audio, and book projects. The middle of America is full of talented storytellers — like Lee and Sterlin, and many more now and in the future — who deserve a platform. We want to support creative individuals in the middle of America who need a strong, shared home base to tell stories that might not fit into conventional pathways.

One final note. A tip of the old Stetson Open Road to Whitney Chapman, Lee’s sister. Whitney has graciously protected Lee as a private person, as well as his family, while recognizing his public contributions. She has honored him by driving the creation of the Center for Public Secrets to continue and grow his work. She is a fellow traveler and good friend to This Land Press and The Pickup. 

So, please read on. Lee sought to reclaim the “hidden, neglected, and misunderstood” truths of history. We hope you will learn and appreciate his brilliant work. 

The Pickup is an independent media company doing culture journalism for curious Oklahomans. We write stories for real people, not AI scrapers or search engines. Become a paying subscriber today to read all of our articles, get bonus newsletters and more.